'Severe punishment': Russia's US envoy on Putin's response to Kursk incursion

Washington, Aug 23 (IANS) President Vladimir Putin has decided on how to respond to the Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region and the country will not let Ukraine gain its objective of securing a "buffer zone" or strengthen its position in any future peace deal, as per Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov.

In his comments on Moscow’s future steps in response to the invasion, the Ambassador told media persons that President Putin has already "made a decision", RT reported. He also said that he is "firmly convinced that everyone will be severely punished for what happened in Kursk Region".

Earlier in August, Ukraine launched its largest cross-border attack on Russia’s Kursk, sending in some of its best-equipped and experienced soldiers in an attempt to seize Russian territory. The Ukrainian government has expressed hope that the operation would relieve pressure on its forces elsewhere on the front line, and strengthen its position at eventual peace talks with Moscow.

However, Russia’s Defense Ministry has reported that the incursion has effectively been halted and, while Kiev’s troops still hold a number of territories in the region, they have been experiencing heavy casualties throughout the fighting. It has estimated Ukrainian losses at some 4,700 servicemen as well as hundreds of pieces of heavy weaponry, including 68 tanks, since the start of the incursion.

With Ukraine having stated that it intends to create a “buffer zone” through its incursion into Russian territory, Antonov, however, asserted that the Ukrainian operation will fail in its desired objective.

"This is impossible. There will be no buffer zone on the territory of Russia," he stressed, RT reported.

He also claimed that Washington could put an end to Kiev’s incursion into the Kursk Region with "a snap of the fingers" but that it apparently doesn’t deem such a move "expedient or necessary".

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