Kiev vows to continue offensive in Russia's Kursk region
Speaking with Japan's NHK, Sibiga claimed that Kiev had achieved its main objectives in the offensive but sees having a continued presence on Russian territory as providing leverage in future peace negotiations.
Ukraine launched its incursion across the internationally recognized Russian border into Kursk Region last August, capturing the town of Sudzha and numerous villages. However, the Russian military quickly halted the advance and has since been reclaiming lost ground. Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov said on Wednesday that 86% of the land previously occupied by Ukrainian forces had been retaken, leaving the remaining troops 'encircled' and 'isolated.'
'As officially announced by General [Aleksandr] Syrsky, we are continuing the operation in Kursk Region and will continue to do so,' Sibiga stated.
'The operation in Kursk Region is an important factor and a key point of discussion in future peace negotiations,' he added.
The fate of the Ukrainian troops fighting in Kursk was addressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, he said that he was open to the idea of a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kiev at their recent talks in Saudi Arabia but stressed that the issue of the incursion forces, among others, must be resolved before Moscow could agree.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump acknowledged that 'thousands of Ukrainian troops are completely surrounded by the Russian military and in a very bad and vulnerable position' in Kursk Region and urged Moscow to 'spare' their lives. In response, Putin offered the servicemen guaranteed safety and merciful treatment if they surrender.
Kiev, meanwhile, has staunchly denied that its forces in Kursk Region are surrounded. In a post on Telegram on Saturday, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky acknowledged that the situation in the area is 'difficult' for Ukraine but stated that 'there is no encirclement of our troops.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
China will resist American sanctions on buying Russian oil
China remains committed to buying Russian oil despite the threat of US tariffs, Washington's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said. Speaking after two days of US-China trade talks in Stockholm on Tuesday, Bessent acknowledged that Beijing has stressed that it will defend its energy sovereignty, should lawmakers in Washington ratify new wide-reaching sanctions. On Monday, US President Donald Trump cut his 50-day deadline for a Ukraine peace deal to just 10–12 days, warning of sweeping sanctions if no agreement is reached, including 100% secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian exports. Russian officials have criticized Trump's threat, claiming that it undermines efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. Bessent said proposed legislation currently before Congress that would authorize President Trump to impose tariffs of up to 500% on buyers of sanctioned Russian oil could prompt US allies to adopt similar measures aimed at choking off Moscow's energy revenues. 'I think anyone who buys sanctioned Russian oil should be ready for this,' Bessent told reporters. Chinese officials, however, made it clear during talks that Beijing considers energy a matter of national sovereignty and will continue buying Russian oil based on internal policy priorities. 'The Chinese take their sovereignty very seriously. We don't want to impede on their sovereignty, so they'd like to pay a 100% tariff,' Bessent said. China remains the largest buyer of Russian oil, importing over 2 million barrels per day—nearly 20% of its total crude imports—followed by India and Turkey. Western sanctions imposed three years ago reshaped global energy flows and prompted Moscow to pivot eastward. Since 2022, both China and India have sharply increased their Russian oil purchases. In May, India became the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, with imports estimated at $4.9 billion, about 72% of which was crude, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
Kremlin denies seeking to ‘control' EU candidate state
The Kremlin on Wednesday rejected accusations by Moldovan President Maia Sandu that Russia is attempting to interfere in her country's parliamentary election by covertly funding opposition candidates. A staunchly pro-EU politician who frequently accuses her opponents of being 'pro-Russian' in order to justify their exclusion from politics, Sandu claimed this week that Moscow planned to channel more than €100 million ($115 million) to her political rivals ahead of Moldova's parliamentary election, scheduled for September. 'This is not true. Russia does not interfere in the domestic affairs of other states,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wedensday. Peskov added that Moldova should focus on addressing its own alleged restrictions on democratic participation, both domestically and abroad. During Moldova's 2024 presidential campaign, Moscow accused the Sandu administration of excluding opposition candidates and limiting ballot access for Moldovan citizens in Russia, in order to sway the outcome in her favor. Sandu in turn has accused Moscow of attempting regime change, claiming Russia sought to 'take control' of Moldova and derail its aspirations for EU membership. As part of her government's response, Sandu claimed her government has worked major social media platforms to flag 'suspicious activity' but admitted that her officials received no response from messaging platform Telegram. The EU granted Moldova candidate status alongside Ukraine in 2022. The move was widely interpreted as a geopolitical signal to Russia rather than a reflection of Moldova's readiness to meet membership criteria.
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
China will resist US sanctions on buying Russian oil
China remains committed to buying Russian oil despite the threat of US tariffs, Washington's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said. Speaking after two days of US-China trade talks in Stockholm on Tuesday, Bessent acknowledged that Beijing has stressed that it would defend its energy sovereignty, should lawmakers in Washington ratify new wide-reaching sanctions. On Monday, US President Donald Trump cut his 50-day deadline for a Ukraine peace deal to just 10–12 days, warning of sweeping sanctions if no agreement is reached, including 100% secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian exports. Russian officials have criticized Trump's threat, claiming that it undermines efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine. Bessent said proposed legislation currently before Congress that would authorize President Trump to impose tariffs of up to 500% on buyers of sanctioned Russian oil could prompt US allies to adopt similar measures aimed at choking off Moscow's energy revenues. 'I think anyone who buys sanctioned Russian oil should be ready for this,' Bessent told reporters. Chinese officials, however, made it clear during talks that Beijing considers energy a matter of national sovereignty and will continue buying Russian oil based on internal policy priorities. 'The Chinese take their sovereignty very seriously. We don't want to impede on their sovereignty, so they'd like to pay a 100% tariff,' Bessent said. China remains the largest buyer of Russian oil, importing over 2 million barrels per day—nearly 20% of its total crude imports—followed by India and Turkey. Western sanctions imposed three years ago reshaped global energy flows and prompted Moscow to pivot eastward. Since 2022, both China and India have sharply increased their Russian oil purchases. In May, India became the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels, with imports estimated at $4.9 billion, about 72% of which was crude, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
