Russia has moved around 60,000 soldiers into the Kursk region in response to Ukraine's military operation aimed at pushing Russian forces back into their own territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared this update during an interview with NBC News.
“One of the goals of the Kursk operation is to pull Russian troops back to their territory,” Zelenskyy said.
He explained that Russia has sent about 60,000 troops to the region, taking them away from other areas where Ukraine had been struggling due to a shortage of weapons.
Zelenskyy pointed out that at times, Ukrainian forces had faced a serious lack of ammunition, with the ratio of artillery shells being 1 Ukrainian shell to 12 Russian shells.
“When you’re that outnumbered, it doesn’t matter how many people you have. More people will just end up dying," Zelenskyy added.
The situation has improved now, especially in the Pokrovsky direction, where the ratio has shifted to 1 Ukrainian shell for every 3 Russian shells.
“It’s still tough, but not as bad as it was,” Zelenskyy said. He noted that while Ukraine hasn't received a major increase in weapons, Russia’s firepower has decreased.
As of late August, Ukrainian forces have taken control of 100 settlements in the Kursk region and captured about 600 Russian soldiers, as part of their ongoing mission to create a security zone.
