A buffer sanitary zone has been established in the part of Russia’s Kursk oblast currently under control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Military commandant’s offices will be set up if necessary.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced this during a joint meeting with Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk.

The Ukrainian authorities are in discussions about granting access to the region for representatives of the UN and the International Red Cross. They plan to open humanitarian corridors to both Ukraine and Russia.

“Our forces strictly adhere to the requirements of international conventions and international humanitarian law,” Zelensky emphasized.

Dmytro Lubinets stressed that the buffer zone is intended to ensure the supply of food, medicines and other essentials to the civilian population.

Iryna Vereshchuk added that Russian civilians within the established security zone in Russia are protected by international humanitarian law.

Accordingly, the Armed Forces of Ukraine plan to conduct humanitarian operations to support civilians within the zone and to open humanitarian corridors for their evacuation to either Russia and Ukraine.

In addition, it is planned to allow international humanitarian organizations to provide humanitarian aid and monitor the humanitarian situation within the zone.

As a result of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive in the Kursk oblast, Ukrainian forces managed to take control of 74 Russian settlements.

On the night of August 5-6, a group of Ukrainian troops managed to advance into Russian territory between Oleshnya and Nikolayevo-Daryno in the Kursk region.

On the very first day, the areas where Ukrainian units had advanced began to expand both in width and depth.

Russia has only partially acknowledged its losses. During a recent meeting with Putin, the acting governor of the Kursk oblast stated that the Ukrainian army had captured 28 settlements and 480 square kilometers of territory.