UKRAINE: Pres. Adviser-Ukraine Not Interested In Occupying Russian Territory

Ukraine's assault into Russia's Kursk oblast continues amid a fog of war that makes verifying any claims of territorial gain or defence by either side a difficult prospect. A short time ago, Russian state-run RIA reported comments from Chechen Akhmat special forces commander Apti Alaudinov claiming that Ukrainian troops do not have full control over the town of Sudzha. Given the strategically important gas transit terminal located outside the town, the status of fighting in and around Sudzha has critical importance for eastern European gas supplies in particular.

• Earlier this morning, acting Governor of the Kursk Oblast Alexei Smirnov claimed that a Ukrainian missile was shot down over the city of Lgov, with falling debris injuring two civilians. 
• Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser within the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X earlier on the aims of the Ukrainian assault. "In the border regions of Russia, including Kursk region, Ukrainians deal exclusively with security-related tasks. Ukraine is not interested in occupying these territories. But it is interested in the actual destruction of many Russian military facilities, pushing the remnants of Russian troops beyond the lines that allow for artillery and ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian territory, forming a security belt around Ukraine's borders, and destroying military logistics and infrastructure..."
• There is a notable international focus on Kyiv's long-term aims, whether to give President Vladimir Putin a 'bloody nose' and retreat, establish a permanent bridgehead, or capture PoWs to use in prisoner exchanges.