Getty ImagesUkraine has established a military administrative office in Russia’s Kursk region and is continuing its surprise incursions into Russian territory, its top military commander said.
General Alexander Silsky said the office would “maintain law and order” and “meet the urgent needs of the people in the region”.
In a video posted on social media, General Silsky told a meeting chaired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the office was established “on territory controlled by Ukraine.”
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said Moscow would send reinforcements to “protect” people in the area.
Facebook/Vladimir ZelenskyUkraine also claimed Thursday’s incursion had made further progress.
General Silsky said Ukrainian troops have entered 35 kilometers into the Kursk region and control 1,150 square kilometers of territory, including 82 settlements.
Now entering its tenth day, it is Ukraine’s deepest incursion into Russia since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.
But Kiev said it was not interested in “taking over” Russian territory.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Khovsh Tikshi told reporters on Wednesday that the incursion was an attempt to pressure Moscow to agree to “the restoration of a just peace.”
In light of the incursion, Russian officials have drawn up plans for “additional measures” to protect the population and infrastructure in Ukraine’s border areas.
The measures include improving “military management” in the Belgorod region adjacent to Kursk, according to a video posted on the Russian Defense Ministry’s Telegram channel.
Interfax said the plan would also apply to the Kursk and Bryansk regions. All three countries share borders with Ukraine.
Russia also declared a federal state of emergency in the Belgorod region. On Monday, 11,000 people were evacuated from the Belgorod Krasnaya Yaruga region, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported.
Still, Moscow claims to have regained some of its lost territory. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that it had regained control of the Krupets settlement in the Kursk region.
ReutersThe developments came as a British source confirmed to the BBC that British-donated tanks were being used during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defense did not officially comment on which specific British weapons were used in Ukraine, but the department reiterated that Ukraine had a “clear right” to use British-supplied weapons “in self-defence against unlawful attacks by Russia.”
Britain was one of the first countries to provide Ukraine with modern Western main battle tanks, donating 14 Challenger 2 tanks last year. But this is for Ukraine to launch an offensive and regain its territory.
The Ministry of Defense insisted that policy had not changed.
Military equipment provided by the United States and Germany was also used in the invasion of Ukraine.
None of these countries raised any objections to the equipment used in their attacks. But given the secrecy surrounding the operation, few had advance knowledge of Ukraine’s intentions.
The West may still be worried about what happens next. Not just whether Ukraine will suffer heavy losses and come back asking for more. But more importantly, some may worry about Russia’s reaction.
The Kremlin has accused the West of being behind attacks on its territory. The fact that Western weapons were involved could be considered evidence of this charge.
Escalation is always a concern when it comes to nuclear-armed states, and the Kremlin is not afraid to occasionally use its nuclear force.
But it also drew many red lines that have been crossed.
It warned the West not to supply tanks to Ukraine in the first place. The warning was ultimately ignored.
However, there is still a big limitation. No Western country allows Kiev to use long-range missiles to attack targets in Russia.
The UK, France and the US all offer some – but only if they are used within Ukraine. This includes Crimea.
President Zelenskyy has repeatedly pleaded for the warnings to be lifted.
