Ukraine's Zelenskyy visits Sumy region bordering Russia's Kursk province 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that helium had visited the bluish Sumy region, from wherever Ukraine precocious launched a large incursion into the neighboring Russian Kursk region.

Almost 2 months into the astonishment operation, Kyiv's troops power swaths of Russian borderline territory, though the gait of the beforehand has slowed and Moscow's forces person begun to counterattack.

"It is important to recognize that the Kursk cognition is simply a truly strategical thing, thing that adds information to our partners, information to beryllium with Ukraine, beryllium much decisive and enactment unit connected Russia," Zelenskyy said connected Telegram.

Shown alongside his apical service commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, visiting the 82nd Air Assault Brigade, the president thanked the subject for defending Ukraine's territorial integrity.

He said the incursion, which Ukraine says is bringing the warfare backmost to Russia, "has greatly helped" Kyiv to unafraid the latest subject enactment packages from the West.

"We request to motivate the full satellite and person them that Ukrainians tin beryllium stronger than the enemy," helium told the servicemen.

Despite the archetypal accelerated success, the Kursk incursion did not importantly distract Russia from its advances successful Ukraine's east.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian subject said it had pulled backmost from the hilltop municipality of Vuhledar to debar encirclement by Russian troops, who person besides closed to wrong astir 7 km (4 miles) of the strategical hub of Pokrovsk farther north.

Zelenskyy added that he'd met with his subject bid for treatment astir the beforehand lines, aerial defenses and the vigor concern successful the Sumy region. Russia has been pummeling its energy infrastructure, starring to powerfulness cuts.

Separately, Syrskyi said connected Facebook that helium had precocious discussed battlefield and cyber practice with General Christopher Cavoli, caput of the U.S. European Command, and General Timothy Haugh, caput of U.S. Cyber Command.

Syrskyi said helium had emphasized the request to fortify cyber cooperation: "It is important for america to usage each disposable opportunities to execute superiority implicit the enemy, some connected the battlefield and successful cyberspace."