Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the northeastern region of Sumy on Thursday, marking his first trip to the border area since Ukrainian forces entered Russian territory over two weeks ago.
During his visit, Zelenskyy met with Ukraine’s military commander, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi. Following the meeting, Zelenskyy reported significant developments: Ukrainian forces have now gained control over an additional settlement in Russia’s Kursk region and have captured more Russian prisoners of war, which he described as enhancing Ukraine’s “exchange fund” for potential future prisoner swaps.
“Another settlement in the Kursk region is now under Ukrainian control, and we have replenished the exchange fund,” Zelenskyy announced on X, the social media platform.
Advances and Setbacks
The Ukrainian advances in the Kursk region mark the first time Russian territory has been captured by Ukraine since World War II. However, the Ukrainian progress comes amid ongoing challenges. In the eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine has been losing ground, with the Russian Defence Ministry announcing the capture of the village of Mezhove on Thursday.
Drone Warfare Escalates
The conflict has seen an escalation in drone warfare. On Thursday, a Ukrainian drone attack targeted a military facility in southern Russia, resulting in a fire at a defence ministry site in Marinovka, Volgograd region. Ukrainian drones also struck key infrastructure, including bridges.
Andrei Bocharov, the governor of Volgograd, confirmed the fire at the defence facility but did not specify the extent of the damage. According to Russia’s Ministry of Defence, Ukraine launched 28 drones overnight, with varying degrees of success. Thirteen drones were intercepted over Volgograd, seven over Rostov, four over Belgorod, two over Voronezh, and one each over Bryansk and Kursk.
Russian Telegram channels reported that drones targeted a military airbase near Marinovka in Oktyabrsky village, with explosions visible in the night sky. This attack, approximately 300 km east of the Ukrainian border, was claimed by Ukraine’s Security Service and Special Operation Forces.
Ongoing Damage and Response
In addition to the recent attacks, Ukraine’s drone strike on Proletarsk’s oil depot in the Rostov region has continued to cause significant damage. Firefighters are still battling the blaze, which has been burning for five days. Satellite images from NASA show the fire still raging, with storage tanks at the facility heavily engulfed in flames.
Kursk’s acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, announced that concrete shelters are being erected at bus stops and other public places in Kursk, Zheleznogorsk, and Kurchatov, where the Kursk nuclear power plant is located, in preparation for potential further shelling.
The recent developments highlight the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the increasing impact of drone warfare on both sides. As Ukraine continues its offensive and expands operations into Russian territory, the international community remains closely watchful of the evolving situation.
