President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Russia about an alleged attempt to "drain" Ukrainian units in the territory of Belgorod region. He said this during an online press conference on March 18.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine carries out strategic operations to protect its territory and safety of citizens. He noted that the situation in the Kursk region under the control of the Ukrainian military, and they will stay there as long as it is necessary to ensure security.
“There is an operation there: someone seems that someone has run, and somewhere in a different corner came. These are absolutely clear our strategic steps as the enemy in our territory. We saw a new cluster of troops at the border of Sumy region. We see what they want to do, they want to strike in Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya regions. That's what we see. Well, so easy we will not do it, ”Zelensky said.
The President also explained that Ukraine has the right to act ahead to prevent Russian blows. He emphasized that hostilities in the east of the country are increasing, but the situation is under control.
“Ukraine fulfills its task in the Kursk region, the Ukrainian military is there. And we will be there as long as we need this operation. We intensified in the east of our country. But after Putin says that our boys surrounded: our boys stand there in place, showing that they are not surrounded. Putin does not control when the boys and where to go, ”Zelensky added.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation declared an alleged attempt to "invoke" the Ukrainian military into the territory of Belgorod region in the direction of settlements of Demidovka and Prylissya. According to them, there were five attacks during the day.
