President Zelensky emphasized, "It was this lack of range that made us think. Think every second: what alternative do we have? And this led to an operation in Kursk region. And, by the way, a successful operation." His remarks highlighted the pressure Ukraine felt to respond strategically due to limitations in their military capabilities. This decision was driven by both necessity and urgency to counter Russian territorial ambitions.
Zelensky stated, "Even Putin and his entourage openly stated that they want to build a buffer zone along our border of a certain number of kilometres deep into our state. And we realized that they would not stop." This suggests heightened awareness within Ukrainian leadership of Russian intentions, fueling their military operations to preemptively strike.
He elaborated, "I know that they [the Russians] have not abandoned these plans [to create a buffer zone]. And then we realised that we needed to carry out the operation accordingly, so that we, not they, would do the buffer zone." This insight reveals the strategic calculus behind Ukraine's military actions, framing them not merely as defensive but as proactive measures to control territorial integrity.
Putin remarked that Ukraine's Kursk operation was a "failure" because it did not divert Kremlin forces from eastern Ukraine. He argued that Ukraine weakened its own position by deploying skilled troops, highlighting the ongoing narrative conflict between the two nations regarding military efficacy.
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