Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian forces are operating in the Bergorod region of Russia.
“We continue to carry out aggressive actions in the border areas of enemy territory, which is absolutely just- the war must return to its source,” Zelensky said in his nightly speech on Monday, April 7, 2025.
He stressed that these actions aim to protect Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv border areas and relieve pressure on other areas of the front line, especially in eastern Donetsk.
Zelensky acknowledged that Ukrainian troops exist in both the Belgorod and Kursk regions, noting that operations in these regions helped shift Russian military priorities to the critical Ukrainian front.
The confirmation follows reports by Russian military blogger and headquartered in the American Institute of War (ISW), which shows that Ukrainian troops have entered the Belgorod region, consolidating their location near the villages of Demidovka and Prilesye. These invasions are believed to be strategic efforts to force Moscow to re-enforcement, and Russian forces have been progressing gradually.
In related developments, despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern about Russia’s continued military operations in Ukraine.
Trump said late Monday that he was “not satisfied with what happened” and accused Russia of “bombing wildly now.” This follows the Russian attack on Zelensky’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, killing 20 people, including nine children and injuring more than 70 people.
The Kremlin dismissed allegations from us and Europe about hindering the ceasefire effort and insisted that it supported the idea of a truce. However, doubts remain about Russia’s commitment to cessation of hostilities.
