Hello and welcome to New Zow from the BBC World Service coming live from London

this is Owen Bennett Jones. Now increasing numbers of Russians are being moved from their homes as Ukraine continues its offensive in the Kursk region.

The commander of the Ukrainian military has posted on telegram that Ukraine now controls around a thousand square

kilometers of Russian territory and fighting continues he says

along the entire front line over recent months there has been a fair amount of

speculation about how Russia would react if something like this

happened and now we know at least what the initial reaction has been there hasn't been any

great escalation President Putin has just said his forces would fight back

and expel the Ukrainians from Russian territory.

The main task is, of course, for the Ministry of Defence to drive,

squeeze the enemy out of our territories,

and together with the Border Guard service, to provide a reliable guard for the state borders.

Well Mr Putin also gave his views on Ukraine's motivation for this offensive. It is becoming obvious and clear now why the Kiev regime has refused our proposals

to return to a peaceful settlement plan, as well as the proposals of interested

and mutual mediators.

It appears that the enemy, with the help of his Western masters, is fulfilling their will, and the West is fighting us with the hands of

the Ukrainians so it looks like the enemy seeks to improve its negotiating positions

in the future and many Western analysts have said they think that is one of the Ukrainian motivations.

Well in the last couple of hours the Ukrainian president, Vladimir Zelensky, has explained

what he actually wants to achieve with the offensive.

It is entirely justified to destroy Russian terrorists wherever they are, wherever they launch their attacks from,

Russian military airfields, Russian logistics. We see the benefits this can bring in bringing

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