Ukrainian troops on incursion to 'destabilize' Russia

Thousands of Ukrainian troops are taking part in an incursion aiming to destabilize Russia by showing up its weaknesses, a top Ukrainian official has told AFP as the assault entered its sixth day.

"We are on the offensive. The aim is to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilize the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border," the security official said on condition of anonymity.

The Russian army had said about 1,000 Ukrainian troops were deployed in the cross-border incursion which began on Tuesday and appeared to catch the Kremlin off guard, allowing Ukrainian forces to penetrate Russian defensive lines.

Asked whether the 1,000 figure was right, the official said: "It is a lot more... Thousands."

After days of official silence, President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the offensive for the first time in his nightly address on Aug. 10, saying that Kiev was "pushing the war into the aggressor's territory."

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and has waged an unrelenting offensive, occupying swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine and subjecting Ukrainian cities to daily missile and drone attacks.

After recapturing large areas in 2022, Ukrainian forces have largely been on the backfoot and are increasingly struggling with manpower and arms supplies.

But Ukrainian units stormed across the border on Aug. 6 in what so far has been the largest and most successful such offensive by Kiev in the conflict.

Its troops have advanced several kilometers forcing Russia's army to rush in reserves and extra equipment, though neither side has given precise details on the forces committed.

Russia has evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from the area...