The Telegraph reports that his army was in control of a portion of the southern Russian Kursk region along the border by Monday night, per Kyiv's top general. Zelensky stated that he was again urging Western allies to allow his use of long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russia.
He stated, according to the outlet, that he had ordered defence officials and diplomats to “present a list of necessary actions on our part to obtain permission from our partners to use long-range weapons to defend our territory."
However the UK has not granted approval for Ukraine to use its Storm Shadow missiles as part of the Kursk offensive and has no plans of doing so. A spokesman for the UK government said, “There has been no change in the UK’s position. We have been providing military aid to support Ukraine’s clear right of self-defence against Russia’s illegal attacks in accordance with international humanitarian law. We are clear that equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine.”
Zelensky made it clear that he believes the cross-border Kursk offensive will drive Putin out of office. He stated that the "Kursk disaster" during which 118 Russian sailors died in a submarine accident 24 years ago marked the beginning of Putin's reign. "And now it is clear this is the end for him,” he said. “And it is also Kursk.”
