Zelensky confirms the presence of Ukrainian troops in the Russian Belgorod region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said for the first time on Monday that Ukrainian forces operated in the Belgorod region in southwest Russia.

Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, is regularly targeted by Ukrainian air strikes and is near the Kursk region of Russia, where kyiv launched a surprise foray last year and has since fought to maintain a point of view.

In his daily speech, Zelensky said that the commander of Chief Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrsky, had reported “our presence in the Kursk region and our presence in the Belgorod region”.

“We continue to carry out active operations in the border areas in the territory of the enemy, and it is absolutely just-the war must come back where it comes from,” he added.

It is the first time since the large -scale invasion of Russia over three years ago that Zelensky explicitly recognized Ukrainian operations in Belgorod, a region with a population of around 1.5 million.

The Russia’s army said in March that it exhausted land attacks in the region, while Ukrainian forces sought to relieve pressure on the front lines in Kursk.

According to Deepstate, a military analysis blog considered to be close to the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian troops control an area of ​​13 square kilometers (five squares squares) near the Russian border village in Demidovka.

Zelensky and other officials said that cross -border incursions aim to force Russia to divert the troops from attacks against the Sumy and Kharkiv regions of Ukraine.

“The commander -in -chief reported on the activity of our units along the border, as well as in the so -called gray area and directly on enemy territory,” said Zelensky.