[Korrespondent] 22:12 The Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced in the Kursk region from one to three kilometers and taken control of two more settlements, Zelensky said following a conversation with Syrsky. "Active actions are continuing in relation to another settlement. There is a replenishment of the exchange fund," the president noted in an evening video address.
21:50 The US and UK provided Ukraine with satellite images and reconnaissance of the Kursk region after the Ukrainian Armed Forces began their offensive, The New York Times reports, citing US officials. The information helped Ukrainian troops track the movement of Russian reinforcements that could attack the Ukrainian Armed Forces or cut off their possible retreat routes to Ukraine.
Some sources reported that with the strengthening of the Defense Forces' control over the western part of the Russian Federation, the risk of overloading the logistics chains and air defense systems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces increases. The transfer of additional forces to the Kursk region could threaten to weaken Kyiv's position along the front lines in eastern Ukraine.
At the same time, Washington is not sure that Ukraine will hold the captured territories in the long term. At the same time, a Pentagon representative in a commentary to the NYT noted that Kyiv may be planning to strengthen its positions on Russian territory in order to expand the buffer zone. Officials also emphasized that the Ukrainian Armed Forces offensive was indeed carefully planned, but the success exceeded expectations. "Ukraine took advantage of Moscow's slow reaction and is now acting more flexibly," the sources note.
14:12 Zelensky said in an interview with Indian media that the Kursk operation is part of a "large military-political, military-diplomatic operation. Everything we do is only to force Russia to be ready for a just peace."