At the meeting, which saw the participation of the governors of the regions bordering Ukraine and some ministers, Putin emphasized that it is necessary to make an evaluation of the ongoing events, referring to the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk, the presidential statement said.

The head of state considered the attack of the Ukrainian army in the Kursk province as an attempt to stop the advance of Russian forces in Donetsk and Lugansk.

Putin stated that Ukraine’s provocation across the border seeks to strengthen its position in future negotiations. “It is now clear why the Ukrainian government rejected our proposals to resume the peace talks,” he said, adding that it is obvious that negotiations are meaningless while Ukraine attacks civilians.

The president indicated that another of the objectives of the Ukrainian military is to sow discord in Russian society, frighten people, and erode unity. “The response of Russian citizens was immediate: it is the support for all those affected,” he said.

According to the president, the number of persons wanting to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense to be sent to the front has grown recently.

On August 6th, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a massive attack on Russia’s Kursk region. On August 9th, the Russian authorities introduced the anti-terrorist operation regime in the border regions of Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod.

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