Ukrainian forces are conducting offensive operations on the territory of the Kursk region of Russia with the aim of withdrawing the reserves of the Russian army and destabilizing the situation in Russia. This was reported by a high-ranking official in the Ukrainian security structures in an interview with the AFP agency, who wished to remain anonymous.
"We are on the offensive. The goal is to stretch the enemy's positions, inflict maximum losses and destabilize the situation in Russia, as it is unable to protect its own border," the official, who asked not to be named, told the agency.
The Russian military previously said that about 1,000 soldiers took part in the operation of the armed forces in the Kursk region, but an AFP interlocutor in Kyiv said that there were many more.
According to him, the invasion of the Kursk region significantly raised the morale among Ukrainians.
"This significantly raised our fighting spirit, the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian army, state and society," the official said. "This operation showed that we can go on the offensive, move forward."
The interlocutor of the agency states that Ukraine does not plan to annex any territories during its invasion of Russia.
At the same time, as AFP notes, the offensive of Ukraine on the territory of Russia did not weaken the onslaught of Russian troops in the east of Ukraine. The interlocutor of the agency admitted that the Russians are not withdrawing troops from positions in eastern Ukraine.
