Zelenskyy sends tough message to Putin as Ukraine enters Russia's Kursk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has alluded to Ukraine's offensive into Russia's Kursk region for the first time since it was launched three days ago, saying "Russia brought the war to our land and should feel what it has done."

"I am grateful to each warrior, each soldier and commander who ensures the defence of our Ukrainian positions and the fulfilment of our defensive tasks. Ukrainians know how to achieve their goals," Zelenskyy added in Thursday's statement on Telegram.

Pro-Kiev forces stormed into Russia's southwestern Kursk region on Tuesday morning, deploying around 1,000 troops and more than two dozen armoured vehicles and tanks, according to the Russian army.

It appears to be the most significant Ukrainian attack into Russia since the war began, with independent analysts suggesting Kiev's troops had advanced up to 10 kilometres into Russia.

'Major provocation'

Experts said the possible goals of the assault include the destruction of the Sudzha gas station through which Russia pumps gas to Europe, an attempt to divert the attention of the Russian command from Donbass, the destruction of the railway through which Russia supplies its forces in Ukraine's Kharkiv region and strengthening the morale of the Ukrainian army.

Russian authorities also fear for the fate of the Kursk nuclear power plant, located in the vicinity of the fighting, and its security was strengthened, according to the Russian Guard Corps.

Kursk regional authorities said five civilians were killed in Ukraine's attack, including a paramedic, an ambulance driver and a 24-year-old pregnant woman, and 66 were injured, including six children.

They called for a major evacuation from the area of combat activities.

Russian war correspondent Evgeny Poddubny was initially announced as killed while covering the fighting, but later reports revealed he was alive although severely wounded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukraine's actions a "major provocation" and an "indiscriminate attack with a variety of weapons, including missiles, against civilian facilities, residential buildings and ambulance vehicles."