- President Zelensky confirms Ukrainian troops are operating in Russia’s Belgorod region.
- Incursion seen as a defensive move to protect Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
- Russia faces rising criminal acts by returning convicts once recruited to fight.
For the first time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly confirmed that Ukrainian forces are conducting operations within Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions.
Alongside the military escalation, Ukraine is actively pursuing economic and diplomatic leverage. Kyiv is sending officials to the United States for talks on a rare earth minerals deal. This deal could secure vital resources such as lithium and uranium.
Inside Ukraine’s Push Beyond Its Borders: War, Resources, and Returning Fighters
The confirmation of Ukrainian military activity inside Russia marks a new chapter in the ongoing war. Zelensky’s statement that “the war must return to where it came from” signals a deliberate strategy shift. It aims at forcing Russia to reconsider its aggression by feeling the impact on its own soil. Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi has presented updates showing Ukrainian troop presence in both Belgorod and Kursk.
These cross-border moves are also seen as a tactic to relieve pressure on eastern Ukrainian regions. This is especially crucial as Russian forces continue intense operations around Donetsk. The Ukrainian high command believes such strikes can disrupt supply lines. Moreover, they can draw Russian forces away from key battlefronts.
Simultaneously, Ukraine is deepening its economic ties with the U.S. through negotiations over rare earth minerals. These resources, critical for global tech and defense industries, position Ukraine as a potential linchpin in Western supply chains. Trump’s proposal for a more expansive deal could redefine U.S.-Ukraine strategic cooperation.
On the Russian side, troubling trends are emerging as convicted criminals, once pardoned in exchange for military service, return home and reoffend. One such case involves Ivan Rossomakhin. He murdered an elderly woman after returning from Ukraine. At least 190 similar criminal cases against former Wagner recruits have surfaced. This raises serious concerns about Russia’s reliance on convicts to bolster its frontlines.
As the war grinds on past 1,100 days, Ukraine’s strategy of pushing the front line into Russian territory reflects its determination. The goal is not just to defend but to reshape the conflict on its own terms.
“We continue active operations in the enemy’s border areas and this is absolutely justified.” – Volodymyr Zelensky
