Ukrainian forces have halted a Russian counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region, a Ukrainian spokesman reported on Wednesday, September 18. Russian civilians are still present in the area.
2 min
There Russia’s counteroffensive to retake areas of the Kursk region under Ukrainian control has been stopped, the spokesman for the Ukrainian regional command told AFP on Wednesday, September 18. The latter specified that ” several thousand “Russian civilians were in this area. The Russians” tried to attack from the flanks, but they were stopped, the situation stabilized and today everything is under control ” said the spokesman, Oleksiy Dmytrachkivsky.
Faced with Russian invasion for two and a half years and under pressure for months in the east ofUkraineTHE Ukrainian forces launched a surprise attack in the Russian border region of Kursk on August 6taking Moscow by surprise and seizing several hundred square kilometers and dozens of localities.
The Russian army announced on September 12 that it had regained ground by launching a counter-offensive. in the region. “They have had some minor successes, but this success has now turned into a near encirclement for them. “, said Oleksiy Dmytrachkivsky. The Russians entered one locality. They started fighting for another locality, but that’s all. “.
Also readRussia: Vladimir Putin orders sharp increase in army personnel
Russian civilians still present
The spokesperson also stated that ” several thousand “Russian civilians were still in Ukrainian-controlled territory. In some localities, “there are more than 100people“, and in others, “more than 200, more than 500“, he said. These are mostly elderly people, but there are also children, said Oleksiy Dmytrachkivsky.
He also accused the Russian military of launching airstrikes, including using gliding bombs, against the area controlled by Ukrainian troops. There are at least “23 civilians killed” since the end of August, according to statements by Oleksiy Dmytrachkivsky.
The spokesman denied any mistreatment of civilians by Ukrainian military personnel.They receive water, food, bread, the military does not offend them“, he said, specifying that stores and pharmacies would not operate.
In a statement, the Russian army assured that it was on the offensive in some areas of the Kursk region, and was repelling Ukrainian attacks in others. This Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory, the first by a foreign army since World War II, is a snub to the Russian president. Vladimir Putin.
Also listen toThe significant attrition of Ukrainian battle tanks