Zelenskyy: Russia has deployed about 45 thousand troops in Kursk region and will increase their number

Russia has now concentrated about 45 thousand troops in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation. And it will continue to increase this number. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the South Korean TV channel KBS, UNN reports.

Zelenskyy noted that  Russia really wants the Ukrainian military to withdraw from Kursk region. 

"This is a concrete slap in the face for her. This is what I have always told my partners, and they did not believe me. That Russia uses its entire army exclusively on the territory of Ukraine, against Ukraine. Russia is not protected by anything," Zelensky said. 

He noted that all the weak troops in Russia remained on the territory of the Russian Federation. 

"All of them are untrained, non-combatant units that are not capable of defending their country. Our first operation in the Kursk region proved this. Russia has now concentrated about 45,000 troops where there were no people. And it will continue to increase this number. They do not have enough troops. They are pulling more North Korean troops there. And if they didn't want to restore their territorial integrity there, why do they want to get North Korean troops there, besides their own troops? Because they don't have enough. They lack their own forces, their armed forces," Zelensky said.

Austin: DPRK military dressed in Russian uniforms deployed to Kursk regionOct 30 2024, 10:04 PM • 49831 view

Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is not  going to seize Russian territory. 

"We are interested in returning our territories. And if, at the end of the war, with diplomatic steps, or with today's tactical military steps on the battlefield, this operation (in the Kursk region - ed.) has an influential effect, we will use it," Zelensky said.

Addendum

Zelenskiy statedthat Ukraine could seize the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, but that would mean becoming like Russia.