As of August 20, Ukrainian forces have gained control over more than 1,260 square kilometers (about 486,5 square miles) of territory and 93 settlements in Russia's Kursk region, according to Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Speaking at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Syrskyi detailed the ongoing operation aimed at creating a security zone to prevent shelling from Russian territory into Ukraine’s Sumy region.
The operation also seeks to disrupt enemy forces and push them back from the border.
"In our offensive defense along the Kursk front, Ukrainian forces have advanced 28 to 35 kilometers into Russian territory, capturing 1,263 square kilometers and securing control over 93 settlements," Syrskyi told reporters from Ukrainska Pravda.
He added that Russian forces are attempting to slow Ukraine's progress through maneuverable defense strategies and by reinforcing their positions with troops from other areas.
The future actions of Ukrainian forces in this region, Syrskyi noted, will depend on how the operational situation develops.
Ukraine officially announced the start of its operation in the Kursk region on August 12. Just a day earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian forces had control over 92 settlements in the area.
