Offensive in Kursk region was carried out to show partners what we are capable of - Zelenskyy
The operation in Kursk region slowed down the Russian offensive in Donetsk region, demonstrated the strength of the Ukrainian army to the world and boosted the morale of the military.
According to Censor.NET, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an interview with The New Yorker.
He emphasised that Ukraine wants to show that it is capable of going on the offensive and to demonstrate to its partners what it can achieve if it receives the right resources. However, there is more at stake than just military objectives.
"Imagine that you are fighting a difficult war, not getting enough help, and at the same time trying to keep your morale up. In the east, the Russians have the initiative - they have captured part of the Kharkiv region and are preparing to attack Sumy. You have to do something, something more than just endlessly asking your partners for support. What choice do you have? Silently shrug or try to take a bold step?" the President explained.
Speaking about the results of the operation, Zelenskyy stressed that it is still difficult to say whether it will go down in history as a success or a failure. However, he assured that the main focus now is on the current situation, not on future historical assessments.
"We can say that the operation has already shown some results. It has slowed down the Russians' actions and forced them to move about 40,000 soldiers from the front line in Ukraine to the Kursk region. Our soldiers in the east have already noted that the frequency of attacks on their positions has decreased," Zelenskyy added.
The President also emphasised that the Kursk operation should not be perceived as the end of the war or "Putin's collapse". At the same time, it has become an important signal to the international community, especially to Ukraine's partners and the countries of the Global South.
"This operation showed our partners what we are capable of. We also proved to the Global South that Putin's claims of complete control of the situation are not true. In addition, we showed the Russians an important truth," Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, according to the president, most Russians refuse to see reality. However, there are those who cannot help but notice that Putin is in no hurry to defend his own territory, but instead focuses on continuing the war in Ukraine.
