"We don’t want Russia’s territories, just peace": Zelenskyy on Kursk operation

He made the statement in an interview with the Italian TV channel RaiNews24.

Zelenskyy noted that the Kursk operation was a preventive step, as Ukraine and its partners had information about Russia's plans to occupy northern Ukraine. In particular, they recorded the accumulation of Russian troops for the occupation of Sumy.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that there are currently 60,000 Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, many of whom had been moved from the Kharkiv region, where they had previously supported Russian forces. This shift of troops has impacted the situation in Kharkiv as well.

Read also: Ukrainian forces in Kursk region limit Russian advances, inflicting heavy losses — military expert

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine's actions in the Kursk region were a tactical success, but not aimed at occupying Russian territory. He stated, "We do not need their territory, we do not need their lands, we do not need their people. We just want to live in peace, at home, without war. This is the only thing we need."

• On January 6, Ukraine’s General Staff reported that since the beginning of the Kursk operation, the Russian army has lost 38,000 soldiers (killed and wounded). The Ukrainian Defense Forces also captured 860 Russian soldiers.