'Fighting to continue on Russian territory': Ukrainian military on raid in Kursk region

Ivan Varchenko, a Ukrainian serviceman and a national security expert, said this on Espreso TV.

"Of course, the situation that is happening only on the territory of Ukraine is beneficial for Russia, they take advantage of it, talk about a 'special military operation' because nothing is happening in Russia. But when Russia is on fire, burning, and there are mass panics and evacuations, it is clear that the 'Ukrainian crisis' is not a good way to characterize these events. That's why the Ukrainians are striking with their own firepower, either with drones or with the means provided by our partners in the form of HIMARS on Russian territory. Of course, Russian territory will be the territory where the fighting will take place, because it is from Russian territory that the aggression against Ukraine is being carried out. So it will continue. The area where it is burning and burning in Russia will definitely expand," he said.

In this way, Ukrainians are breaking down the information and propaganda narratives that Russia uses to inform the world and its population, Varchenko says.

"Russian propaganda operates inside and outside Russia, and it is largely aimed at the Western world, at the circle of its partners and potential partners that it wants to attract. Remember, they always talk about the "Ukrainian crisis," and even China uses this term, which is now actively trying to promote this narrative in its peacekeeping ideas and strategies that it offers for discussion in the world. Yesterday it was reported that groups of Ukrainian saboteurs were pushed away by regional defenders of the Russian border. However, this was refuted almost immediately, when Russian officials were forced to say, "No, it's still terrible, they are moving, and we are also burning something." And today, at the highest level, they said that Putin has his finger on the pulse, trying to control the situation. We understand that it is difficult for them," he summarized.

• On August 6, the authorities of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly tried to break through the Russian border, but were allegedly prevented. Later, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that "the Ukrainian subversive group retreated to its territory.”