Zelensky Visits Russian Border, Announces More Kursk Gains

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a significant visit to the northeastern region of Sumy on Thursday, marking his first trip to the border area since launching a bold cross-border offensive more than two weeks ago.

The operation has led to the capture of dozens of Russian villages and the strategic town of Sudzha.

Zelensky announced on the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter) that Ukrainian forces had secured control over another settlement in Russia's Kursk region and had captured more Russian soldiers, which he referred to as replenishing the "exchange fund" for potential prisoner swaps.

"Another settlement in the Kursk region is now under Ukrainian control, and we have replenished the exchange fund," Zelenskyy posted, following a briefing from Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, a top military commander.

Zelensky traveled close to the area of Ukraine's recent incursion into Russia, but stopped short of crossing the border—an act that would likely have been seen by Moscow as a direct provocation.

He reiterated that Ukraine does not intend to occupy Russian territory permanently, but wants to create a buffer zone to prevent further attacks into his country.

The operation, which began on Aug. 6, has reportedly led to a significant decrease in Russian shelling and civilian casualties in the Sumy region, The Associated Press reported.

Ukraine's incursion into Russian territory marks the first such capture since World War II, underscoring the conflict's escalating intensity. Both sides have increasingly relied on drone warfare to strike deep within enemy lines.

The Ukrainian advance into Kursk has sent shock waves through the Kremlin, undermining President Vladimir Putin's attempts to project an image of Russia as largely insulated from the ongoing conflict.

In response, Kursk authorities began fortifying the city with concrete shelters at bus stops and other locations, including in the towns of Zheleznogorsk and Kurchatov, home to the Kursk nuclear power plant.

During a video conference with officials, Putin ordered the formation of self-defense units in Russian regions bordering Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the governor of Bryansk, another Russian region near the border, said local authorities have conducted emergency evacuation drills in case of future attacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it had successfully repelled Ukrainian assaults near several villages in the Kursk region, including Komarovka, Malaya Loknya, and Korenevka.

While Ukraine pushes into Russian territory, it continues to face challenges on its eastern front. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Thursday that its forces have taken control of the village of Mezhove in Donetsk, part of the broader industrial Donbas region that Moscow wants to fully capture.

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