Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin 'withdrawing generous offer' - as Russia 'moves troops to Kursk' (2024)

We'll be back tomorrow morning with more updates on the Ukraine war.

Before we go, here's a reminder of what has happened today:

• Ukraine said its forces have taken control of 74 settlements in Russia's southern Kursk region;
• White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the US had no advance notice from Ukraine that it planned military action in the Russia border region;
• Lithuania's defence minister Laurynas Kasciunas said Russia is moving troops from its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to the southern Kursk region;
• Ukraine has proven it is "capable of protecting its interests and independence", Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his evening address;
• Russia summoned a senior Moldovan diplomat to express "serious concern" over reports of Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine being based in Moldova;
• Russia criticised Western allies of Ukraine and said they have not condemned Kyiv's invasion into the Russian region of Kursk.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said that evidence continues to indicate that yesterday's fire at the Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine did not start at the base of the cooling tower or by a foreign object.

"The evidence gathered reinforces our conclusion that the main fire seems unlikely to be at the base of the cooling tower," the IAEA cited its head, Rafael Mariano Grossi, as saying in a statement.

It said "foreign objects or materials were visible" in the damaged tower.

The Russian management of the plant told the IAEA that the tower may need to be dismantled, the IAEA said.

For context: Yesterday, a fire broke out at the Russian-occupied plant and Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other for the fire, which has since been extinguished.

The IAEA said its experts at the plant witnessed "thick dark smoke" coming from the northwestern area of the plant, after hearing multiple explosions.

A Russian official said at the time that the cooling tower at the plant may need to be replaced.

Footage has emerged showing a Ukrainian truck carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniform travelling away from the Russian border.

Ukraine's attack on the Russian border region of Kursk last week took Moscow by surprise.

Following the attack, about 121,000 people have been evacuated from the area or have fled.

Russia has criticised Western allies of Ukraine and said they have not condemned Kyiv's invasion into the Russian region of Kursk.

Today, Ukraine's allies on the UN Security Council - including the US, France and Britain - shared their support for Kyiv during an informal council gathering convened by Russia. They did not mention the Kursk offensive.

Speaking at the meeting, Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told the council gathering: "We haven't heard a word of condemnation of these actions from the Western sponsors of the Kyiv regime who continue to cover up the abhorrent crimes of their puppet.

"I would be grateful for the explanation how intentionally targeting civilians serves the goal of disrupting attacks on Ukrainian territory, given the fact that there were no military objects or infrastructure in the area."

During the informal council meeting, American, British and
French diplomats listed accusations against Russia of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in Ukraine.

"There is no question as to which country has committed numerous well-documented atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, on Ukraine's sovereign territory," US diplomat Caleb Pine said.

"That country is Russia."

Oursecurity and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarkehas said it may not make strategic sense to hold Kursk long-term.

"In this war, we're used to seeing battles develop over a very long period - real battles of attrition go on for months," he says.

"This coming battle of Kursk will be measured in days and weeks, not weeks and months."

That's because of mounting pressure on Vladimir Putin, he says.

"For his own survival inside the Kremlin, he has to make it clear that Russian territory is sacred, so he'll do whatever it takes to get rid of this enclave," he explains.

"Russia has not been invaded since 1941, so this is outrageous from his point of view."

You can watch Clarke's full analysis here...

Earlier, US state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said the US was not engaged in any aspect of planning or preparation for Ukraine's invasion in the Kursk region of Russia (see post at 6.13pm).

Now, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre has reiterated that the US had no advance notice from Ukraine that it planned military action in the Russia border region.

Ms Jean-Pierre, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as President Joe Biden flew to New Orleans, said Washington had no involvement in the operation.

US officials have been seeking clarification from Ukraine about its objectives in Russia.

Earlier, we brought you comments from the commander of the Ukrainian military, Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said that Ukraine now controlled 74 settlements in the Kursk region.

Ukrainian troops have continued to advance, gaining control of over 15 square miles of territory in the past 24 hours, he said.

About 121,000 people have been evacuated from Kursk or have fled the areas affected by fighting on their own, Russian officials say.

Here footage shows a Ukrainian soldier celebrating the invasion across the border into the Kursk region.

Russia is moving troops from its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad to the southern Kursk region, Lithuania's defence minister Laurynas Kasciunas has said.

Mr Kasciunas made the remarks during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

For context: Kaliningrad was claimed by the Russians after the Second World War.

Originally known as Konigsberg, Kaliningrad was part of Germany until the Red Army took it from the Nazis in 1945.

After the war in 1946, it was given a new Russian name and its previous German citizens were evicted and replaced with Russians.

It is a key port city on the Baltic Sea and home to Russia's Baltic Sea Navy fleet.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it was allowed to remain part of Russia, while the neighbouring states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia became independent.

Vladimir Putin's "generous" peace offer is "no longer on the table" after Ukraine's invasion of Russia's Kursk border region, a Kremlin official has said.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy envoy to the UN, told a meeting at the organisation's headquarters today: "In June, Russia made a generous offer to Ukraine, but a week ago, the Zelenskyy regime chose escalation, making an attack on the Kursk region."

He went on to say the offer was "no longer on the table".

"This is a step that Ukraine will later regret," he added.

For context: Russia this year said it would be ready for peace talks "tomorrow" if Ukrainian troops withdrew from the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions - and if Ukraine gave up its plan to join NATO.

If Ukraine agreed, Mr Putin said Russia would cease fire and begin negotiations.

But Ukraine, NATO and the Pentagon dismissed it, with one of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisers calling the offer a "complete sham".

By Olive Enokido-Lineham, OSINT producer

Ukrainian officials have been tight-lipped about the Kursk operation – but on Telegram, footage of different units offer a brief glimpse into who is involved and where they are inside Russia.

Geolocated footage posted online within the last two days show Ukrainian units in Sudzha and Dar'ino in the Kursk region close to Russia's border with Ukraine.

One video shows three soldiersfrom Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Battalion taking down a Russian flag outside a school in the village of Dar'ino -under 5km from the border.

The battalion is a unit of Ukraine's Ground Forcesand previously fought in eastern Ukraine near ChasivYar whichsaw fierce fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in May.

While it's unclear exactly when the video was taken, it was posted on the battalion's Telegram channel on Monday. One analyst said the size of Ukrainian battalions can "vary" depending on the type of unit.

John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia programme at Washington-based thinktank Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Ukrainian battalions are often under strain "so they might not be more than a company level of size - so 100-150 troops".

He said it's unclear from the footage alone to determine exactly what strength the 225th battalion has been fighting at in Kursk.

Other videos show Ukrainian soldiers walking around the town of Sudzha along with military vehicles. The soldier's vest reads "Bravo Team" and was posted by the Bravo team Telegram channel - linked with Ukraine's 130th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion.

The same channel posted another video filmed from inside a military vehicle inside Sudzha.

But it's not just Ukrainian soldiers seen in these videos.... a Ukrainian MP also posted a video online yesterday at border checkpoint between Ukraine and Belgorod – just under 50km south of Sudzha.

In the Facebook video, Roman Kostenko said he was going into Russian territory with Ukraine's defence force and would "write a statement" about his "trip".

Dozens of other geolocated videos have emerged on Telegram showing soldiers in combat in various parts of the Kursk region. It's unclear exactly how many Ukrainian units have been involved in the operation that started last week.

Mr Hardie says the Kursk operation is different in "size, scale and ambition" to previous small-scale raids in the Belgorod region, including the use of regular military units and the number of brigades involved.