Ukraine has asserted that it has no interest in occupying territory in Russia’s Kursk region.
Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated during a press conference that unlike Russia, “Ukraine does not need other people’s property.”
“Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people,” the spokesman told reporters in Kyiv.
The comments by the Ukrainian foreign ministry’s Spokesman come a week after Kyiv’s forces launched a cross-border assault into the western Russian region of Kursk that Ukraine says has seen its forces take control of 1,000 square kilometres of land.
Tykhyi noted that more than 2,000 strikes have been launched from the Kursk region into the Sumy region since the beginning of summer.
“Unfortunately, Ukraine cannot use its current long-range weapons to defend against this terror; we do not yet have the decisions we are advocating for. Therefore, it is necessary to use the Armed Forces to liberate these border areas from the Russian military contingent that is attacking Ukraine.”
Heorhii Tykhyi
He emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are achieving their objectives in the Kursk region and will continue to act as needed for the safety and protection of Ukraine.
Stating that the operation in the Kursk region benefits the front, Tykhyi disclosed, “It prevents Russia from transferring additional units to the Donetsk region and complicates its military logistics.”
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces are a civilized European military force that fully adheres to the laws and customs of warfare and international humanitarian law. The goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is solely military targets and military contingents.”
Heorhii Tykhyi
Tykhyi added that the aim of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region is to protect Ukrainian lives from Russian strikes.
“Russia brought the war to Ukraine, and it is only fair that this war now returns to Russian territory. The sooner Russia agrees to restore just peace, the sooner Ukrainian raids into Russian territory will cease.”
Heorhii Tykhyi
“As long as Putin continues the war, he will receive such responses from Ukraine,” he emphasized.
Also, Tykhyi voiced that Moscow “would very much like to see” violations of international and humanitarian law in the operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk Oblast.
“They would very much like to see this and use it in their propaganda,” he said.
The Spokesperson pointed out that there are “reasonable” fears that Russia may fabricate incidents, “including those involving Russian soldiers disguised as the Ukrainian military.”
He revealed that Ukraine has warned its partners “to be prepared for such developments.”
Tykhyi added that Ukraine is currently seeing the public reaction of its partners to the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ operation in the Kursk region of Russia.
“We see a neutral and restrained reaction from our partners, which reflects their understanding of Ukraine’s actions,” he stated
Ukraine Restricts Civilian Movements In Border Area Of Sumy Region
Also on Tuesday, Kyiv’s general staff announced that Ukraine is restricting the movement of civilians within a 20 km (12 mile) zone in a north-eastern region bordering Russia, as its troops push further into Russian territory amid a week-old surprise offensive.
The measure, applying to parts of the Sumy region bordering Russia’s Kursk, was needed due to an “increase in the intensity of hostilities” and the activation of Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the area, it said in a statement on social media.
“The military command imposed restrictions on the movement of all categories of citizens in the twenty-kilometre border zone of the Sumy region,” it added.
The general staff stated that the measure was temporary and that residents of the newly restricted area could still access their homes by showing proof of registration.
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