Kursk operation, long-range strikes in Russia — Syrskyi outlines Ukraine’s priorities

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Feb. 3 named Ukraine’s operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast and strikes against military facilities deep inside Russian territory as Kyiv’s key battlefield priorities.

“We continue effectively destroying Russia’s military facilities to reduce its strike potential. We are destroying Russian forces both in Ukraine and Russia,” Syrskyi wrote on social media.

The commander outlined Ukraine’s key priorities, including holding defensive lines, preventing Russian advances, and enhancing the use of unmanned systems.

“On the ground, first of all, we saturate units holding the defenses at the front line with personnel and equipment,” Syrskyi said. He stressed the need to improve recruitment and psychological support for soldiers and better integrate newcomers from training centers before they undertake combat missions.

Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone strikes on Russian oil facilities in the past weeks, aiming to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and weaken Moscow’s energy export revenues. Oil profits remain a key source of funding for Russia’s war effort.

In Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian forces have been holding positions since the start of the cross-border incursion in August 2024, reportedly seizing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory.

While Ukraine has since then lost roughly half of the captured area, fighting continues as Kyiv seeks to leverage its presence in Kursk Oblast in potential negotiations.

Syrskyi also highlighted the importance of strengthening military training and improving recruitment and psychological support for troops. He also reported progress in reforming the Armed Forces’ organizational structure, including a shift to a corps-based system.

Syrskyi earlier described Russia’s ongoing offensive as “one of the most powerful” since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Despite persistent attacks, Russian forces have not achieved a significant breakthrough, though Ukrainian defenses remain under pressure across multiple sectors.

“February will not be easy for our troops, but Russia will also have a hard time. I have assigned tasks to the relevant commands and military authorities,” Syrskyi added.

Pro-Russian collaborator Sarkisyan dies in hospital after Moscow explosion, media reports

Armen Sarkisyan, a pro-Russian collaborator from Donetsk Oblast wanted by Ukraine, died in the hospital after being injured in an explosion in an elite residential complex in Moscow on Feb. 3, the state news agency TASS reported, citing healthcare officials.