Zelensky Acknowledges Ukrainian Forces Operating in Belgorod Region

This announcement highlights Ukraine’s military strategy as President Zelensky emphasizes the importance of offensive operations to protect Ukrainian territory. The president’s remarks come as military activities intensify along the border, raising questions about future peace negotiations and the effectiveness of incursions into Russian-held areas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian troops are actively operating in Russia's Belgorod region. "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," he stated on Monday during a video address. The comments extend to Russia's Kursk region, where Ukraine has maintained a foothold following a major offensive last year, although Moscow has since regained much of the lost territory.

Zelensky outlined that the primary goal of these operations is to safeguard Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv border regions while alleviating pressure on other parts of the extensive front line, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region. Last month, Russian military reports noted purported attempts by Ukrainian forces to penetrate into Belgorod, asserting their efforts had been thwarted.

With approximately 20% of Ukraine's territory currently under Russian control following the full-scale invasion initiated by President Vladimir Putin in 2022, Zelensky acknowledged the insights provided by General Oleksandr Syrskyi regarding the situation on the front lines, including operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. He expressed gratitude towards several army units defending Ukraine, notably the 225th Assault Regiment deployed in Belgorod.

In a previous statement on March 18, Zelensky alluded to operations without explicitly confirming troop presence, stating there was "an operation there" in response to reports of unsuccessful incursions into the region. Russian forces claimed they had successfully repelled all Ukrainian advances toward the villages of Demidovka and Prilesye, yet several military bloggers from Russia reported active combat in the area.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Ukrainian forces appeared to have made some advances in Belgorod, with claims of positioning near Demidovka and Prilesye, though these assertions remain unverified. In recent days, military bloggers suggested Ukrainian troops were retreating from the Demidovka area.

Despite the ongoing operations being smaller in scale compared to Ukraine's recent actions in Kursk, Zelensky and military leaders assert these efforts have prompted Moscow to redeploy troops away from the Donetsk area, where Russian advances have been noted in recent months. Additionally, some analysts propose that Ukraine could leverage these territorial exchanges for negotiations over areas held by Russia in any impending peace discussions advocated by the US.

Concerns persist among war analysts regarding the military wisdom of Ukraine's operations within Russian territory, especially considering reports of significant combat losses and challenges in obtaining necessary arms.