The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to push the Armed Forces of Ukraine out of the Kursk region by January 20, 2025 - the day of the inauguration of the elected U.S. President Donald Trump.
This was reported by Radio Free Europe, quoting a statement from Vladimir Zelensky during the 3rd International Conference on Food Security "Grain from Ukraine."
The Kursk operation as a stimulus for exchanges: how many prisoners have been returned from Russia in three monthsSince the start of the operation in the Kursk region, 362 Ukrainians have been returned from Russian captivity."I am confident that he (Putin - ed.) wants to push us out by January 20. It is very important for him to demonstrate that he controls the situation. But he does not control the situation. The Kursk operation is no game. We have shown that he is incapable of fully defending his state. He has thrown everything into the occupation and destruction of Ukraine,” Zelensky stated.
According to him, Russia has not experienced such losses as it currently has in the Kursk direction. At the same time, the president noted that "the most difficult situation is currently in eastern Ukraine."
"He (Putin - ed.) wants to show that he will fulfill the so-called tasks of the Special Military Operation - to occupy the entire Donbas, and he needs to push us out of the Kursk direction. These are the two tasks he has,” Zelensky emphasized.
The head of state claims that Russia is experiencing significant losses in the Kursk direction, while Putin asserts that the fate of the so-called Special Military Operation is dependent on this operation.
_“He has never faced such losses before. One of our interceptions in the Kursk direction indicates that he is relaying personal requests through his command, stating that the entire fate of the 'SMO' hinges on the Kursk operation,”_ Zelensky summarized.
It is known that Putin hopes that Trump will heed the interests and preferences of Russia.
Recall that in the Kursk region, as a result of Storm Shadow missile strikes, 500 North Korean soldiers, a Russian general, and officers were killed.
Additionally, one of the command posts of the "North" group was hit in the Kursk region.