Ukrainian forces are reported to have reached far into Russian territory and are located near the towns of Tolpino and Obschtchy Kolodez.
The information comes from the Russian Defense Ministry, which on Saturday confirmed that clashes were taking place near the two towns.
More soldiers
Thus, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has taken on a completely new character – for the first time since the invasion began in February 2022, Ukrainian ground forces have attacked targets so far into Russia.
Ukraine is simultaneously denying Russian claims that 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are involved in the offensive.
That's wrong. It's about thousands, says a high-ranking, but unnamed, person within Ukraine's security service to the news agency AFP.
The source also clarifies the purpose of the attacks:
The goal is to stretch out the enemy's lines of battle, to cause as great losses as possible and to destabilize the situation in Russia to the extent that they can no longer defend their borders.
Information from Ukraine also claims that the ground offensive is being carried out with Ukrainian resources.
Sources deny that they would not have informed allied Western countries about plans for a ground offensive.
"Powerful response"
The Kremlin warned that the response to the Ukrainian offensive will be "powerful". But Moscow chose to let the Russian Foreign Ministry comment on the offensive.
(Kiev) is threatening the peaceful population in Russia. A powerful response from the Russian army will not be long in coming, said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia's Defense Ministry said on Sunday morning that several Ukrainian drones had been shot down, but the remains of a drone hit a residential building in Kursk and injured about ten people.
Over 76,000 people have been evacuated in the Kursk region. Governor Aleksey Smirnov in the region urged local authorities on Sunday to speed up the evacuation.
From the Ukrainian side, Kiev notes that several goals of the offensive have now been achieved.
The attack has significantly boosted morale within the Ukrainian military, in our country and among the population, said the high-ranking official to AFP.
However, there is no question of annexing Russian territory from the Ukrainian side.
We are fighting in accordance with international law.
