By Smartencyclopedia & Agencies
Moscow, Russia — In a rapidly escalating situation, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, announced his intention to appeal to the government for the declaration of a federal emergency following the latest attacks by Ukrainian forces. In a video shared on Telegram, Governor Gladkov confirmed that the city of Shebekino and the village of Ustinka had come under attack from Ukrainian drones, though no casualties have been reported so far.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that it successfully shot down 117 drones overnight, which were primarily targeting four regions: Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod, and Nizhny Novgorod. This development comes as Ukraine launched a surprise offensive in the Kursk region, marking the deepest penetration into Russian territory since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Ukrainian troops had advanced further into Russian territory, while Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed that Kyiv had gained control over 40 square kilometers, capturing 74 settlements in the process. However, the exact extent of the territory under Ukrainian control remains uncertain, with skepticism surrounding Syrskyi’s earlier assertion that 1,000 square kilometers were in Ukrainian hands.
Despite the military advances, Ukrainian officials have emphasized that their forces do not intend to hold onto Russian territory. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy stated that the raids would cease if Moscow agreed to a “just peace.” “The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace… the sooner the raids by the Ukrainian defense forces into Russia will stop,” Tykhy said during a press briefing.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of rejecting Russian proposals to return to a peaceful settlement. He further alleged that Ukraine is acting under the direction of Western powers. “It appears that the enemy, with the help of his Western masters, is fulfilling their will, and the West is fighting us with the hands of the Ukrainians,” Putin remarked on Monday.
Amid these developments, the situation on the ground remains volatile. Nearly 200,000 Russians have fled their homes in parts of the Kursk region as Ukrainian forces continue their push. Despite Moscow’s insistence on Tuesday that Ukrainian advances had been thwarted, previous claims have often proven to be overly optimistic.
US President Joe Biden weighed in on the unfolding crisis, noting that the Ukrainian offensive is “creating a real dilemma for Putin,” as the conflict shows no signs of abating.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community watches closely, with the possibility of further escalation looming large on the horizon.