Ukraine's forces have claimed control over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. He announced that Ukraine's military continues to conduct an offensive operation in Russia's Kursk region, a week after it began. This marks Kyiv's deepest incursion into Russian territory since the full-scale war commenced in February 2022.

The Ukrainian operation, which started on August 6 in Kursk, aims to secure northeastern Ukrainian lands, as stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky following a briefing from General Syrskyi. Zelensky emphasized that the operation is crucial for Ukraine's security, as these areas in Kursk have been used by Russian forces to launch attacks on the Sumy region. He pointed out that since June 1, nearly 2,100 shellings have targeted Sumy, making it essential to clear the border areas of Russian troops.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian offensive as a "major provocation" and ordered his forces to expel the enemy from Russian territory. Putin argued that the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk is an attempt to divert Russia from its goals, but he assured that it would not succeed. He noted that the pace of Russian military operations had not only remained steady but had actually increased by 1.5 times. Along the entire front line, Russian troops are advancing, and there has been a rise in the number of people enlisting for military service.

The Governor of Kursk Oblast, Alexei Smirnov, reported that Ukrainian forces have taken control of 28 settlements in the region. As a result, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from both sides of the border.

Despite the ongoing fighting near Kursk, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that Russian troops had made significant advances in the Donbas. They reported being just 15 kilometers from the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a strategic location for the supply lines of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk region.

President Zelensky also stated that the war is returning to Russian soil after Moscow's attempt to spread it to other countries. He insisted that Moscow should be compelled to make peace, even as the conflict escalates. Meanwhile, Putin suggested that Ukraine's actions in Kursk are aimed at halting Russia's advance in the Donbas and destabilizing Russia, though he remained confident that these efforts would fail.