In Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, soldiers prepare to cross the border into Russia’s Kursk region two weeks after Kyiv launched its surprise military incursion. Reporting from the Ukrainian side of the border, FRANCE 24’s Gulliver Cragg speaks to motivated Ukrainian soldiers preparing to re-enter Russia as Ukrainian villagers in the border region brace for heavy fighting.
Ukraine is pushing forward with its incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, having claimed control over more than 1,000 square kilometres of land. However, the offensive is encountering increasing resistance as Russian forces intensify their efforts to push back. Kyiv's operation, launched with the goal of creating a buffer zone to protect Ukrainian civilians from Russian artillery fire, is now facing significant challenges on the ground.
In the Sumy region of Ukraine, close to the border, Ukrainian soldiers are regrouping and planning their next moves. Despite difficulties, including a recent failed mission to deliver supplies, the soldiers remain confident in their ability to hold the territory they have captured.
One soldier, Oleksandr, who was injured in the Kursk region, expressed his determination to continue contributing to Ukraine’s offensive: "They will try to force us out, but seeing how much equipment Ukraine keeps pouring in, they’re going to have to amass a truly huge force if they want to succeed."
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The situation remains tense in Ukrainian border villages like Khotin, a village in the Sumy region where authorities are urging civilians to evacuate due to the ongoing threat of Russian artillery strikes.
"If they used to fire more often but with mortars and artillery, now when they fire it’s a glide bomb, or two, or three. Go to Kindrativka, you’ll see the devastation they cause," Mayor Mykola Toryanyk said.
In Kindrativka, just three kilometres from the Russian border, our correspondent met with locals struggling to salvage grain from the ruins of a bombed barn.
"(The Russians) are already firing less. They’ve been pushed away, and for us things are better," a farm worker said.
While the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk is causing hardship in these border areas, it has also had a positive impact deeper within Ukraine. The operation has renewed confidence in the Ukrainian armed forces and their ability to take the initiative in the war.
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