Moscow reports that Ukrainian troops had advanced up to a distance of 30 kilometers within Russian territory.

The Ukrainian military advanced up to a radius of thirty kilometers into Russian territory, marking the greatest incursion since Russia launched a massive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian defense ministry reported clashes near Tolpino and Obshchy Kolodez in the Kursk region, which has seen heavy fighting for six days.

President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the attacks, stating that Russia launched 2,000 cross-border assaults from Kursk over the summer. Ukrainian forces have captured several settlements, including Guevo, and engaged in fierce combat in Sudzha.

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Footage and satellite images suggest new defensive lines are being built near the Kursk nuclear power plant. Russia has evacuated 76,000 people from the region and declared a state of emergency. A missile strike in Kursk city injured 15 people.

The Kursk offensive follows Russian advances in eastern Ukraine and may be intended to divert Russian forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the operation as a “major provocation.” The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency reported smoke at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant but no safety impact.