Syrsky on Kursk anniversary: first time full-scale war reached enemy territory

The Kursk operation, which began on August 6 last year, for the first time transferred a full-scale war to enemy territory, where the Ukrainian military controlled up to 1,300 square kilometers, demoralizing the Russian personnel, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky has said.

"August 6 is a significant date in the military history of our state. On this day in 2024, the Kursk offensive operation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine began, which for the first time transferred a full-scale war to the territory of the aggressor country," he wrote on Facebook.

According to Syrsky, this was a "resolute and bold step" in response to the enemy's preparation of a new offensive campaign.

"We did not expect a blow - we inflicted it ourselves. We proved by deed that Ukraine is capable not only of defending itself, but also of acting in advance and effectively attacking," he writes.

According to the commander-in-chief, after careful planning of the operation, Ukrainian units were able to break through the enemy's defenses, go deep into the enemy's rear and disrupt his logistics. At the peak of the operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine controlled up to 1,300 square kilometers of the Kursk region.

"We demoralized the Russian personnel and forced them to transfer significant reserves to the Kursk region, easing the pressure on other areas of the front," he stressed.

Syrsky noted that at that time the Defense Forces did not allow the enemy to implement their offensive plans and formed a buffer zone, thanks to which Sumy and Kharkiv remain on free Ukrainian land.