Five months since Ukraine sets up “buffer zone” in Russia’s Kursk region - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video address to the nation posted on Monday, Ukrinform reports.

"Today is exactly five months since we launched our efforts in Kursk region, and we are maintaining a buffer zone on Russian soil, actively destroying Russian military capabilities there. During the Kursk raud, the enemy forces suffered over 38,000 casualties in this area alone, including nearly 15,000 killed in action," Zelensky said.

According to the president, Russia has pulled to Kursk region their combat-capable units, as well as North Korean soldiers.

"It is important that the invaders are now unable to maneuver this force to other areas (in Ukraine – ed.) in particular to Donetsk region, in particular toward Sumy, in particular to Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia," the head of state said.

He thanked Ukrainian soldiers who are bringing the war back to the aggressor's territory and "giving more security and more strength to Ukraine".

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on January 5, chief of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, said Russian troops had been attacked from several directions in Kursk region.

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said during a visit to South Korea that Ukraine's presence in Russia’s Kursk region is important for any future negotiations.