(ANSA-AFP) - CHISINAU, AUG 22 - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
on Wednesday said Ukraine prepared its surprise counteroffensive
into Russia's Kursk region "very secretly and without any
feedback". Two and a half years into the war, Ukraine has
mounted the unprecedented cross-border assault since August 6,
catching Russia off guard and even surprising its close allies.
Kyiv claims to have captured dozens of settlements and tens of
thousands of Russian civilians have fled. "Ukraine prepared its
military operation in the Kursk region very secretly and without
any feedback, which is certainly due to the situation," Scholz
told reporters during a visit to Moldova, which neighbours
Ukraine. He also reiterated Germany -- the second largest
contributor of aid to Ukraine after the United States -- would
continue to support its fight against Russia's invasion, despite
plans to halve the budget for helping Kyiv in 2025. Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky this week reiterated his plea for
partner countries to let it use long-range weapons deep inside
Russia -- in order to halt Moscow's advance in eastern Ukraine.
(ANSA-AFP).
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