Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has, for the first time, confirmed that Ukrainian forces are operating inside Russia’s Belgorod region.
“We continue to carry out active operations in the border areas on enemy territory, and that is absolutely just – war must return to where it came from,” he said on Monday in a video address.
Zelenskyy also referenced operations in the Russian Kursk region, where Ukraine retains a foothold following an offensive last year, though Moscow has since recaptured most of that territory.
According to the president, “the main objective” of the ongoing incursions is to safeguard Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv border areas and “ease the pressure” along other critical points of the front line, particularly in Donetsk, where heavy fighting continues.
The Kremlin had previously accused Ukraine of launching incursions into Belgorod, claims it said were successfully repelled.
However, Zelenskyy’s latest remarks mark the first explicit admission of Ukrainian troop presence in the region, confirming what had until now been reported only through indirect references and third-party sources.
In a briefing from his top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelenskyy was informed about developments “including our presence in the Kursk and Belgorod regions.”
The president praised units involved in the operation, singling out the 225th Assault Regiment. “Well done, guys! I’m proud of each and every one who is fighting for Ukraine!” he said.
Although details remain sparse, this direct acknowledgment builds upon Zelenskyy’s earlier, more ambiguous statement from 18 March, when he said, “There is an operation there,” in response to Russian claims of thwarting Ukrainian advances into Belgorod.
At the time, Russia’s defence ministry claimed it had blocked Ukrainian troops from reaching villages such as Demidovka and Prilesye. However, independent military bloggers reported clashes within Demidovka itself, located just two kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
On 21 March, the US-based Institute for the Study of War noted that “Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Belgorod,” citing Russian sources who said Kyiv’s forces had gained ground near Demidovka and Prilesye, though such reports were unconfirmed.
Recent updates from Russian military bloggers suggest Ukrainian forces may now be pulling back from the Demidovka area. The scale of Ukraine’s activities in Belgorod appears limited compared to operations in Kursk, where Ukrainian troops at one point captured several villages, including the town of Sudzha.
ALSO READ: US in direct nuclear talks with Iran — Trump
Kyiv’s strategy, according to Zelenskyy and his commanders, is to force Moscow to divert resources from Donetsk, where Russian forces have been inching forward in recent months. Analysts also speculate that Ukraine might be positioning itself to trade captured Russian territory in future negotiations over occupied Ukrainian regions.
While the cross-border operations serve a tactical purpose, they have sparked debate among Western and Ukrainian analysts, who question their effectiveness amid reports of mounting casualties and challenges in maintaining weapons supplies.
Meanwhile, the war continues to escalate. United States President, Donald Trump said Monday he was “not happy about what’s going on”, condemning Russia for “bombing like crazy right now.”
The remark followed a Russian missile strike on Zelenskyy’s hometown, Kryvyi Rih, which killed 20 people including nine children.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
