President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia intended to occupy the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, and the next step planned an offensive on the part of Sumy. The Head of State told this in an interview with Indian media.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine never invaded the territory of Russia, emphasizing that it was the Russian Federation that began aggression, invading the Ukrainian land 10 years ago. "The Russian Federation invaded our territory 10 years ago. It occupied and killed people," the President of Ukraine said.
Speaking of Russia's plans in Kharkiv, Zelensky noted that Russia was preparing for the invasion, aiming to occupy the city of Kharkiv, which now lives with 1.5 million people. Many of them lost their homes as a result of Russian aggression in other cities and villages of Kharkiv region and were forced to move to Kharkiv.
"Russia wants to occupy this city," Zelensky said, emphasizing that the Russian plan was thwarted by Ukrainian forces that were able to prevent the capture of this territory. According to the President, Russia has prepared the next stage of invasion in the north of Ukraine, in particular from Sumy and Kursk region, but the Armed Forces were able to prevent this plan to prevent.
The President also noted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin occupies Ukrainian territories, not paying attention to his own. Zelensky emphasized that Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure and military facilities, including airports, showed the vulnerability of Russian air defense (air defense) in many regions, including in Kursk region.
"We are well aware that Russia will not be able to keep the occupied territories. Putin must start feeling this war.
Zelensky also stressed that if the international community does not isolate Russia diplomatically, Putin will continue his hostilities and murder of Ukrainian children. He noted that the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk direction was an example of successful counteraction to Russian aggression and demonstration of the force of the Ukrainian army.
Armed Forces Operation in Kursk Oblast
Earlier, a veteran of the Russo-Ukrainian War, the reserve Major Alexei Hetman expressed the opinion that Ukrainian troops should move the territory of Russia along the borders of Ukraine in order to create the so-called sanitary or "gray" zone. He stressed that the operation of the Armed Forces in the Kursk region became one of the most effective offensive maneuvers in the whole war.
Ukrainian intelligence has found the weaknesses of the Russians, and the special forces crossed the border in advance to prepare the territory. When the Armed Forces crossed the Russian border on August 6, it became a textbook example of a general military maneuver, which demonstrates Ukraine's ability to successfully resist the aggressor.
