Zelenskyy explains need for Kursk operation by lack of long-range weapons

"As for the range. It was this lack of range that made us think. To think every second about what alternative we have. This led to the operation in the Kursk region. And, by the way, a successful operation," he says.

Zelenskyy says that the Ukrainian Armed Forces lacked long-range missiles and shells. "And we had an understanding from our intelligence that Russia was planning to create this buffer zone. Even openly, Putin and his entourage stated that they wanted to build a buffer zone along our border for a certain number of kilometers deep into our country. And we realized that they would not stop," the President says.

Zelenskyy recalls that Russians had made a breakthrough in the Kharkiv region. "Thank God, we were able to stop them there and prevent them from occupying Kharkiv. After that, we had signaled that they could do it in the north. Sumy and Chernihiv regions. And it would be a serious challenge for us," he adds.

According to him, the Russians have so far abandoned these plans. "And then we realized that we needed to conduct a corresponding operation. We need to create a buffer zone not for them, but for us. So that later we would not repel their attacks, as we did in Kharkiv, losing territory and people, but rather do something unexpected. And this operation was born," the President says.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces launched the operation in the Kursk region on August 6. According to Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, 1300 square kilometers and 100 settlements have been taken under control. About 600 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that thanks to the operation in the Kursk region, Ukraine had averted the threat of occupation of parts of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions.