Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday on Telegram that humanitarian aid and a temporary military administration may be needed in the Kursk region as a Ukrainian official outlined plans to establish evacuation corridors for civilians looking to flee. Read our liveblog to see how all the day's events unfolded.
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Summary:
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday on Telegram that humanitarian aid and a temporary military administration may be needed in the Kursk region as Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk outlined plans for a "security zone" with humanitarian assistance and evacuation corridors for civilians looking to flee.
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The head of Russia's Belgorod region declared a state of emergency Wednesday, saying the situation was "extremely difficult" in the border region.
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Kyiv has put the chance of peace talks with Russia "on a long pause" by attacking the Kursk region, a Russian special envoy said on Wednesday. Kyiv has said its incursion into Russian territory was a way of forcing Moscow to the negotiating table.
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Russia's air defences destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched overnight by Ukraine targeting several regions including Kursk, its defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Yesterday's key developments:
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Ukrainian troops have advanced over an area of 800 square kilometres (308 square miles) of Russian territory as of Monday, according to data from Russian sources and relayed by the Institute for the Study of War.
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Nearly 200,000 people have or are fleeing their homes in Russia, according to local officials. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops now control 74 Russian settlements in the Kursk region.
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Ukraine is not interested in holding Russian territory, the foreign ministry told a press conference in Kyiv, adding: "The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace (...) the sooner raids by the Ukrainian defence forces into Russia will stop."
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Russia launched 38 attack drones and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's air force said. Russia's defence ministry said its air defence units destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones over the Kursk region.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
