'Ukraine has the right to self-defense,' German Foreign Ministry says on incursion into Kursk Oblast

In a statement issued to Politico on Aug. 9, Germany's Foreign Ministry said that "Ukraine has the right to self-defense enshrined in international law," adding that the principle of self-defense "is not limited to its own territory," in reference to the ongoing battles in Russia's Kursk Oblast.

The country's leader, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has not yet publicly commented on Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, Politico reported.

Ukrainian forces crossed the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, resulting in clashes on Russian soil that were described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a large-scale provocation."

Russia's Defense Ministry acknowledged on Aug. 9 that its forces were fighting the Ukrainian army on the outskirts of the town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast.

Earlier in the day, Russia's Defense Ministry said it was sending additional military equipment to Kursk Oblast's Sudzha district - a town located 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the border with Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry's comments fall in line with those of European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano who said on Aug. 7 that "Ukraine has the legal right to defend itself, including striking an aggressor on its territory."

U.S. Defense Department Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also told reporters on Aug. 8 that Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region is "consistent with (U.S.) policy," and that Ukraine is taking action "to protect themselves from attacks."

Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry also said on Aug. 9 that the situation in Kursk Oblast had been declared a "federal emergency."

Overnight on Aug. 10, Russian authorities introduced restrictive measures under a so-called "counter-terrorism operation" in bordering Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod oblasts in response to Ukraine's incursion.

Kyiv has so far maintained a policy of silence on the incursion, but President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 8 that "Russia brought war to our land, and it should feel what it has done." He did not directly mention the incursion into Kursk Oblast.

Germany allowed Ukraine to use German-supplied weapons to strike legitimate military targets inside Russia at the end of May 2024 following months of opposition to the idea.

Russia prepares to defend Kursk nuclear plant as Ukrainian troops approach, IStories reports

The entrances to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant were blocked as of the afternoon of Aug. 9, the pro-government regional newspaper network Bloknot claimed, citing its undisclosed sources.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova