The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that Kyiv was not interested in appropriating the territories of the Kursk region of Russia. This means that the march of the Ukrainian Armed Forces "to Kursk and Voronezh" is over with.
"Ukraine is not interested in appropriating the territories of the Kursk region" — Ukrainian Foreign Ministry
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgy Tykhy said that the offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region was needed "to protect the lives of our people" rather than to capture Russian territories.
"Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not need what is foreign. Ukraine is not interested in appropriating the territories of the Kursk region, but we want to protect the lives of our people," Tykhy said at a briefing broadcast on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page* (banned in Russia, owned by the Meta corporation, recognized as extremist in Russia).
It is worthy of note that Ukrainian nationalists were shouting in euphoria about Ukraine's claims to the territory of the Kursk region (that allegedly used to be part of Ukraine) and about a "march on Voronezh".
If, as it appears, Kyiv does not need to capture territories, then why did Zelensky squander reserves during a large-scale offensive of the Russian Armed Forces in Donbass? Why did he send thousands of people to die in the fields of the Kursk region? Ukrainian officials should rather say nothing about how they protect the lives of their people. Those residing in Sumy may already "feel safe" against the backdrop of the operation in the Sudzha district — they are being bombed, an evacuation was announced.
According to Georgy Tykhy, Ukraine's military operation in the Kursk region complicates Russia's military logistics.
"This does not let Russia transfer additional units to Donbass and makes military logistics more complicated for Russia. It is only military facilities and military contingent that get targeted," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tikhiy said refusing to comment on how Ukrainian soldiers shoot civilians indiscriminately.
Since the beginning of the invasion of Kursk region on August 6, officials with the Ukrainian administration have not said a word about the invasion probably not to be labeled as aggressors.
Volodymyr Zelensky later declared that "the Kursk catastrophe will mark the end of Putin's rule." He even instructed the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine to prepare a humanitarian plan (filtration) for the Kursk region. They even discussed a possibility to found the "Kursk People's Republic" with the help of Russian political immigrants.
Zelensky also asked permission to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia. The UK did not give such permission, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The Germans, confused, demanded an explanation from the United States, but the Americans remained silent.
One may assume that Washington's plans have changed, perhaps something was transmitted to the US from Moscow via diplomatic channels.
The brutal action against the Russian population will entail major consequences for Ukraine in the form of the complete destruction of the Sumy region, major losses, the collapse of the front in many areas, and a total blackout.
Moscow perceived the invasion of the Kursk region as another round of escalation of the conflict. Therefore, any peace talks initiatives will be frozen until the situation "on the ground" meets Russia's interests. Ukraine is not going to get away with, Kyiv will see Moscow's response, but Putin is known for making thought-out, rather than emotional decisions. Russia's most important task at the moment is to drive the enemy out of Russian territories, as Putin said at a meeting of the Security Council.
Conclusions will be drawn afterwards.