Ukraine enters Russia and starts the counteroffensive, Putin gathers the generals

2024-08-08 08:19:12Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

For the first time, the Ukrainian army enters Russia, in its biggest counteroffensive since the start of fighting and aggression by Moscow, more than two years ago. The military troops of Kiev are informed by field correspondents that they have penetrated the Kursk region, where the fighting is continuing.

So much so that in the evening (Wednesday), 36 hours after the start of the unexpected military operation of Kiev, a state of emergency was declared in the region. Faced with the situation, President Vladimir Putin is calling for national solidarity to provide aid to the region that has been under attack for two days.

Unlike the previous incursions carried out in the Russian border regions by irregular units, in which Russian volunteers also fought, the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were involved in the incursion that has been taking place since the morning of August 6 in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, considered it "a major provocation by the Kiev regime", as he called a meeting of the government and another of the Security Council.

"He fires indiscriminately with various types of weapons, including rockets, at civilian buildings, residential buildings and ambulances," the president continued.
The head of the Kremlin asked for a timely response, instructed Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov to coordinate the work and invited the regions to provide assistance to the Kursk region:

"I really count on your support," he said.
In the afternoon, Putin also met with Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, FSB director Aleksandr Bortnikov, Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu and chief of staff Valery Gerasimov. Gerasimov participated in the meeting via video conference, "from one of the operational control points".

And he added: "The actions of the units covering the state border together with the border guards and reinforcement units, the air strikes of the missile forces and artillery fire stopped the enemy's advance in depth."
Of the thousands of soldiers involved in the incursion, according to Gerasimov's statements, approximately one-third fell during the offensive.

"As a result of the actions of the Russian army, the enemy lost 315 people, of whom at least a hundred were killed and 215 were wounded - Gerasimov reported - 54 armored vehicles were destroyed, including seven tanks."
However, he did not give details of any losses from the defense forces deployed by Russia. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Health, the bombing that accompanied the attack by the ground forces caused at least 5 deaths and 31 injuries. Among the victims are six children, who will be received in the capital's hospitals.

In the evening, the so-called Telegram "Z" channels spread the unconfirmed news about the death of the journalist of the state television "Vgtrk", Evgeniij Poddubny.

"Ukrainian forces carried out targeted attacks against monasteries and churches in the Kursk region," Patriarch Kirill said.
All these "crimes", commented Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakarova, take place against the background of the "cynical silence" of the West, which reinforces Kiev's "sense of impunity". The Investigative Commission has opened a case for the attack on civilians. The case, spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko clarified, will be treated as a case of terrorist attack and attack against law enforcement officers.

The number of Ukrainian soldiers and fighters who entered the Kursk region, estimated by the Ministry of Defense and some pro-government Telegram channels, is about a thousand. However, several thousand civilians have left the area in the last 24 hours. This was reported by the interim governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, who held consultations with the head of state on the night between August 6 and 7.

"More than 200 people were taken out of the bombing zone in buses," Smirnov said. The others left the area "with personal vehicles".
During the night, temporary reception centers were created with about 2.5 thousand places, equipped with water, food, medicines and basic necessities. Doctors and paramedics from Moscow and St. Petersburg are traveling to the region. 


Video