Zelenskyy confirms presence of Ukrainian troops in Russia's Belgorod Oblast

Ivan Diakonov - 8 April, 01:08

Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially confirmed for the first time the presence of Ukrainian troops in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, saying that active operations in their border areas are a justified response to the Russian invasion.

Source: Zelenskyy in his evening video address

Quote: "Today, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported separately on the situation at the front, including our presence in the Kursk and Belgorod oblasts. We continue to carry out active operations in the border areas on enemy territory, and that is absolutely just – war must return to where it came from."

Details: This is the first public confirmation from a high-ranking official of the presence of Ukrainian units in Belgorod Oblast. Previously, such operations were not openly commented on.

Zelenskyy emphasised that the main goal of these actions is to protect Ukrainian hromadas in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts which are systematically attacked by Russia. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

Background:

On 18 March, when asked whether Ukraine was conducting operations in Belgorod Oblast, as claimed by the Russian Defence Ministry, Zelenskyy responded that Ukraine has the right to take preemptive steps to prevent Russian attacks.
Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had attempted a "breakthrough of units into Russian territory in the western part of Belgorod Oblast towards the settlements of Demidovka and Prilesye".

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