Ukraine Conducts Overnight Strikes on Russian Border Regions

14-08-2024

Russian authorities report intercepting attacks in Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod, and Nizhny Novgorod. Kyiv, asserting control over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, directs its military to prepare for the next phase of operations.

Ukraine carried out a significant overnight drone and missile assault on Russia’s southern regions, continuing its efforts to deepen its incursion.

On Wednesday morning, Russia announced that it had neutralized 117 Ukrainian drones and several missiles, primarily in the regions of Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod, and Nizhny Novgorod.

This offensive, which began with a cross-border raid into Kursk last week, has left Russia grappling with the incursion. In response, emergency measures have been enacted, and tens of thousands have been evacuated.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed ongoing advancements in Kursk and has instructed his military leadership to strategize the next crucial moves. Kyiv now claims to hold control over at least 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory.

Moscow, however, contends that the actual area under Ukrainian control is roughly half that size. Nonetheless, Ukraine’s actions have clearly triggered significant concern within Russia by extending the conflict onto its soil.

The relentless bombardment has forced nearly 200,000 people to evacuate from the border regions. The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, attributing the decision to the continuous Ukrainian shelling.

In a video shared on the Telegram messaging platform, Gladkov described the situation in Belgorod as “extremely difficult and tense.” He reported that daily shelling by Ukrainian forces had resulted in the destruction of homes and the loss of civilian lives.

“Given the circumstances, we have decided to declare a regional emergency across the Belgorod region, with a subsequent request to the government to escalate this to a federal emergency situation,” Gladkov announced.

He also mentioned that Belgorod had been targeted by a drone attack, which, while not resulting in casualties, did cause damage to buildings. Earlier in the week, an evacuation order was issued for residents of the Krasnoyaruzhsky border district in Belgorod.

President Zelenskyy has stated that the offensive is not intended to annex Russian territory but to compel Russia towards peace negotiations.

“Russia brought war to others, now it’s facing it at home,” Zelenskyy remarked on Tuesday. Kyiv reported that it had secured control of 74 settlements in Kursk, advancing over 40 square kilometers of territory within the past 24 hours.

Russia, which has dispatched reinforcements to the area, claimed to have stalled the Ukrainian advance, asserting that attacks were repelled near villages located approximately 26 to 28 kilometers from the border.