Putin Claims Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion Has Not Hindered Russia’s Eastern Advance, According to Reuters

By Vladimir Soldatkin and Guy Faulconbridge

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – President Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that Ukraine’s recent incursion into the Kursk region of Russia has not impeded Russia’s progress in eastern Ukraine and may have inadvertently weakened Ukraine’s defensive capabilities along the frontline.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin asserted that Russian forces are gradually regaining control of Kursk, following Ukraine’s significant attack on August 6, which marked its largest foreign offensive against Russia since World War II.

Putin suggested that Ukraine’s actions had left its defenses vulnerable, allowing Russia to intensify its operations in the eastern Donbas region, which remains Moscow’s primary focus. "The enemy’s goal was to make us nervous and to divert our troops, but did it work? No," he stated.

Following his decision to mobilize a substantial number of troops for what he referred to as a special military operation in February 2022, Putin described it as the "sacred duty" of the armed forces to oust Ukrainian forces from Kursk and safeguard Russian citizens.

Ukraine’s top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, has indicated that one goal of the Kursk operation was to divert Russian military resources from other strategic locations, particularly near the cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove in eastern Ukraine.

Despite the fact that the Kursk incursion may have been seen as a setback for Putin and senior military officials, Russian authorities are now framing it as a major tactical error on Kyiv’s part, suggesting it has forced Ukraine to commit significant resources without achieving meaningful results.

"By concentrating large and well-trained units on our border, the enemy has weakened its own positions, allowing our forces to accelerate their offensive," noted Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed intentions to maintain control over Kursk, suggesting that the operation is part of a broader strategic victory plan, aiming to bring the reality of war closer to the Russian populace.

Putin further stated that Russian forces are making rapid territorial gains in eastern Ukraine and that recruitment within Russia is on the rise. "Currently, no actions are obstructing our advance," he stated, highlighting success in operations targeting the eastern city of Pokrovsk.

Currently, Russian forces occupy approximately 18% of Ukraine and have been making progress in eastern regions, following the unsuccessful counter-offensive by Ukraine earlier this year.

While the Kremlin claims that the conditions for peace talks with Ukraine are not favorable at this time, Putin mentioned China, India, and Brazil as potential mediators and reiterated that an initial agreement from early in the conflict could provide a groundwork for negotiations.