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The Pentagon has said that Ukraine’s recent military incursion into the Russian region of Kursk is consistent with US policy and is not seen as an escalation.
What’s the deal: Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces launched a military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, marking the first direct incursion by Ukraine’s military into Russian territory. Until now, only volunteer groups had made occasional incursions without direct support from the Ukrainian military. This latest advance has pushed Ukrainian soldiers six miles past the border, capturing multiple towns and taking at least 60 Russian border guards prisoner. They have also seized control of a crucial oil facility and are now positioned on the outskirts of Sudzha.
What the US is saying: When asked if the United States believes the recent incursion into Russia is consistent with US policy, Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said, “It is consistent with our policy, and we have supported Ukraine from the very beginning to defend themselves against attacks that are coming across the border and for the need for crossfires.” She added, “So they are taking actions to protect themselves from attacks that are coming from a region that are within the US policy of where they can operate, you know, our weapons, our systems, our capabilities. In terms of this actual operation that’s ongoing in the Kursk region that you’ve referenced, I’d refer you to the Ukrainians to speak more to that. We are getting more information, but really it’s for them to speak to their own operations.”
What Russia is saying: Russia has labeled Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region as a “major provocation,” prompting President Putin to order the immediate recapture of the area. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have repelled the Ukrainian forces, but reports from Russian military bloggers and pro-Ukrainian accounts suggest they have struggled to make significant progress.
The UN speaks up: During a press conference, a spokeswoman said the UN would like more information on what exactly Ukraine is doing in Russia and added that they had a “real concern” about possible escalation. At present, Ukraine has not publicly commented on its operations in the Kursk region.
