In the State Duma after Zelensky's words about Kursk region reminded about the losses of the AFU

The liberation of Kursk Region from Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) fighters continues - they withdraw or are killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 's statements about the alleged success of the country's army in the border area of Kursk Region are just an attempt to strengthen Kiev's position in future negotiations. Andrei Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee, shared this opinion on January 9.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky (his term expired in May 2024) said at a meeting of the contact group on Ukraine in the "Ramstein" format that he was doing everything to end the conflict this year with a "decent" ending for Kiev and Europe. He said the Kursk operation was one of the Ukrainian armed forces' successes.

"Gradually the [AFU] troops are being squeezed, squeezed out - more into the ground, that's why we have ground 13 brigades. Liberated a large number of settlements. <...> All these statements by Zelensky <...> are [a tool] to strengthen negotiating positions. Apparently, he has nothing else to present when ours are advancing along the entire front," Kolesnik's commentary was quoted by Duma TV for Izvestia.

According to the deputy, when negotiations on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis begin, there will no longer be any AFU servicemen left in Kursk Region. They will either surrender, escape or be liquidated, the interlocutor of the publication expressed confidence.

"And what else can we expect from the overdue, absolutely failed [President Zelensky], who has threatened a colossal number of Ukrainians? He does not spare them there, throws them into the furnace. He has no other options," the politician concluded.

Also on Thursday, the Defense Ministry reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lost up to 190 soldiers in the Kursk direction over the day. In addition, the Ukrainian army lost an infantry fighting vehicle, an armored personnel carrier, two armored fighting vehicles, five vehicles, an artillery gun, four mortars, an electronic warfare station and an ammunition depot.

The AFU attacked Russian positions in the border areas of the Kursk region on August 6 last year. The situation in the region was recognized as a federal emergency. The liquidation of the Ukrainian militants who invaded the Russian territory is underway.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the beginning of which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.