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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially confirmed the presence of Ukrainian troops in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation. He said this in his evening address on 7 April, stressing that the actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the border areas of the aggressor state are a justified response to the Russian invasion.
The president’s direct speech:
“Today, Chief of Defence Oleksandr Syrskyi reported separately on the frontline, our presence in Kursk and our presence in Belgorod region. We continue to conduct active operations in the border areas in the enemy’s territory, and this is absolutely fair – the war must return to where it came from,” Zelensky said.
This is the first public confirmation at the highest state level of the presence of Ukrainian units on the territory of the Russian Federation. Previously, such operations were left without official comment.
The President stressed that such actions are aimed primarily at protecting civilians in the border regions of Ukraine – in particular, Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which are constantly suffering from Russian shelling.
“We have the right to defend ourselves, and we exercise it where necessary,” Zelensky concluded.
