{"id":76911,"date":"2025-05-05T16:37:19","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T16:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/76911\/"},"modified":"2025-05-05T16:37:19","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T16:37:19","slug":"ukraine-launches-new-kursk-offensive-smashing-through-russian-border-in-major-blow-for-putin-ahead-of-victory-day-truce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/76911\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine launches new Kursk offensive smashing through Russian border in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day truce"},"content":{"rendered":"

UKRAINE has launched a fresh offensive in the Kursk region of Russia in what could prove to be a major embarrassment for Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n

The tyrant was determined to expel all Ukrainian troops from Russian soil<\/a> ahead of this week\u2019s Victory Day<\/a> celebration to mark Germany\u2019s defeat in World War Two<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Explosion<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Ukrainian forces attacked Russia\u2019s region of Kursk on MondayCredit: Telegram\/RVvoenkor\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Russian servicemen riding atop a self-propelled gun in KurskCredit: EPA\"Firefighters<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike in Kyiv on SundayCredit: Reuters<\/p>\n

But after weeks of forcing Ukrainian troops back, Moscow<\/a> now faces a fresh onslaught.<\/p>\n

The offensive comes just days before a three-day truce beginning on May 8 Putin had backed to mark victory over the Nazis.<\/p>\n

Kyiv<\/a> launched a pincer movement sending in mine clearing vehicles at two points on the border to create a path for armoured vehicles packed with paratroopers to follow.<\/p>\n

Bridges were destroyed as fierce fighting took place with Ukraine looking to regain land it has lost since the first Kursk incursion in August last year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That marked the first time that Russian territory had been occupied by enemy forces since World War Two.<\/p>\n

One war blogger said: \u201cThere is a heavy battle going on at the border.”<\/p>\n

At least 50 Ukrainian soldiers had crossed into Kursk with fighting reported near the villages of Zvannoe and Tetkino, another report said.<\/p>\n

Reports said bridges, factories, and administrative buildings were damaged in the attacks.<\/p>\n

Russian troops hit back and three people were reported to have died.<\/p>\n

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said the new offensive had “achieved most of its goals”.<\/p>\n

Zelensky threatens Ukraine will strike Putin\u2019s beloved May 9 Victory Day parade\u2026 despite Vlad declaring 3 day ceasefire<\/p>\n

At the peak of the incursion<\/a> Ukraine held nearly 500sq miles of Russian territory forcing around 130,000 locals to flee.<\/p>\n

Putin sent thousands of North Korean soldiers<\/a> to the region to help push back Ukrainian forces.<\/p>\n

He was determined to recapture all of the territory ahead of Friday\u2019s Victory Day celebrations when the traditional Red Square parade is held to showcase Moscow\u2019s military might.<\/p>\n

After months of fighting Russia declared the campaign a success at the end of last month, saying that the last Ukrainian troops had been expelled \u2013 a claim dismissed as “wishful thinking” by Kyiv.<\/p>\n

\"Tank<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

A tank travels through UkraineCredit: Getty\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

A North Korean soldier training in Russia as he prepares to fight against UkraineCredit: Rex<\/p>\n

Putin has announced that Victory Day will be accompanied by a three-day ceasefire.<\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> said he doesn\u2019t trust Russia to observe it and added: \u201cWe understand who we are dealing with, we do not believe them.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was supposed to a ceasefire over Easter but that quickly fell apart.<\/p>\n

Putin critics reckon he has only called the ceasefire to protect world leaders who are attending the celebrations, including Chinese President Xi Jinping<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Exiled oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky<\/a> said: \u201cIt is not intended to save lives. It\u2019s goal is to shield the May celebrations, entice foreign guests to Moscow and show the world a picture of a \u2018stable Russia\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, nervous neighbours on Russia\u2019s borders are boosting defence spending.<\/p>\n

Lithuania declared it was planning to spend almost \u00a31bn fortifying its border with Russia and Belarus, including buying anti-tank mines.<\/p>\n

The Nato member\u2019s defence ministry said the increased spending would “block and slow down the actions of hostile states”.<\/p>\n

\"Volodymyr<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Volodymyr Zelensky talking with journalists during a press conference in KyivCredit: AFP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UKRAINE has launched a fresh offensive in the Kursk region of Russia in what could prove to be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":76912,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7654],"tags":[2000,299,1824,2301,332,184,657,753,333,658],"class_list":{"0":"post-76911","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ukraine","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-germany","11":"tag-moscow","12":"tag-russia","13":"tag-section-newsworld-news","14":"tag-ukraine","15":"tag-ukraine-war","16":"tag-vladimir-putin","17":"tag-volodymyr-zelensky"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114456208783269126","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}