Kyiv's Invasion of Kursk Region Deemed Legal by NATO's Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that Ukraine's invasion of the Russian Kursk region is legally justified due to Kyiv's right to self-defense. In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag, Stoltenberg emphasized that this right extends beyond Ukraine's borders under international law. According to him, Russian soldiers, tanks, and military bases in the Kursk region are considered legitimate targets.

The Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region began on August 6, with Kyiv claiming to have captured dozens of settlements and over 1,200 square kilometers of territory. Despite the offensive, France Presse reports that it has brought about minimal changes on the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to make gradual progress. Just yesterday, Russian troops reportedly captured three more settlements in the region.

Stoltenberg also mentioned that Kyiv did not inform NATO in advance about the offensive in the Kursk region, adding that the Alliance played no role in the operation. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the challenges faced by the Ukrainian army near the strategic city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, describing the situation as "extremely difficult" as Russian forces close in on the area.