Ukraine sets up military office inside Russia

BBC:

Ukraine has set up a military administrative office in Russia’s western Kursk region, where its surprise incursion into Russian territory continues, according to its top military commander.

Gen Oleksandr Syrsky said the office would “maintain law and order” and “meet the immediate needs” of the population in the area.

In a video posted on social media, Gen Syrsky is seen telling a meeting chaired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the office has been created “on the territories controlled by Ukraine”.

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has said Moscow will send reinforcements to “safeguard” the population in the region.

Ukraine also claimed to have made further gains in its incursion on Thursday.

Ukrainian troops were 35km inside the Kursk region, where they control 1,150sq km of territory, including 82 settlements, Gen Syrsky said.

Now on its 10th day, this is Ukraine’s deepest incursion into Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

But Kyiv has said it is not interested in “taking over” Russian territory.

Instead, the incursion is an attempt to pressure Moscow into agreeing to “restore a just peace”, Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy told reporters on Wednesday.