Ukrainian offensive sends shockwaves through Russian defenses

In a conversation with the agency, a representative of the Ukrainian authorities emphasized that the soldiers would adhere to international law and Kyiv did not intend to annex the occupied territories.

"We are on the offensive. The aim is to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilise the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border," explained the official.

AFP reports that, according to the Russian army, around one thousand soldiers participated in the Ukrainian operation. When asked whether these estimates were accurate, the Ukrainian representative responded, "There are significantly more... Thousands."

"This has greatly raised our morale, the morale of the Ukrainian army, state and society - said the Ukrainian representative," said the Ukrainian representative. "Thanks to this action, we have gained the confidence to go on the offensive and move forward. It seems the Russians are having difficulties with coordination and readiness to act," he added.

When asked about the possibility of taking over the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, he replied, "We will see how the Kursk operation develops. We will certainly not cause problems for nuclear safety. That we can assure."

He also emphasized that it is a "mistake" to suggest that Western partners were unaware of the Ukrainian offensive. "Judging by how actively Western arms are being used, our Western partners played a part indirectly in the planning," he stated.

According to him, Russia will "eventually" manage to stop Ukrainian forces and respond with a large-scale missile attack aimed, among other things, at "command centers" in Ukraine.

On Sunday afternoon, a mysterious post with a photo appeared on the Telegram channel of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi. "We continue the operation," he wrote briefly. Ukrainian media links this post to the offensive in the Kursk region.

AFP emphasized that the Sumy region, near the border with the Russian Kursk region, is being bombarded more intensively. The Russians want to hit the Ukrainian groups near the border that could be used in an attack on the Kursk region. At night, the Russian army also shelled Kyiv.

On Sunday afternoon, AFP reported on "dozens" of armored vehicles of the Ukrainian army observed by its reporters in the Sumy region. The machines are marked with a white triangle and are used by forces participating in the operation on the territory of Russia.