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Russia complained about Ukraine’s advance in the Kursk region, calling the population there “peaceful.”
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The comment is ironic, as the attack is part of a war started by Russia.
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Russian territory had not been attacked often and this operation put it to the test.
Russia complained that the people of the Kurk region are “peaceful” and not fair targets as Ukraine launches a surprise offensive into Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of “intimidating the peaceful population of Russia” with its offensive in the Kursk region, the BBC reported.
Ukrainian troops entered Kursk last week in a major attack that appeared to take Russia by surprise.
Ukraine does not normally send ground troops to Russia, focusing primarily on repelling a Russian invasion of its own territory.
The cross-border attacks have mostly been carried out with long-range weapons such as drones and missiles. The Kursk advance is very different, with Ukrainian tanks and troops many kilometres inside Russian borders.
Zakharova’s request to leave Russian citizens alone is ironic given the heavy toll that the years of war have taken on the Ukrainian population.
The US also rejects Russian complaints about Ukraine’s advances.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week that it was “a bit of an exaggeration” for Russia to complain about attacks on its soil.
Observers debate the extent to which the Russian population supports the invasion of Ukraine.
Given the lack of a free media and independent polls, and laws restricting protests, it is difficult to gauge public opinion.
Some Ukrainian officials have repeatedly argued that the entire Russian society is responsible, not just its leaders.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, last week called it a “critical mistake” to absolve Russia of responsibility.
He said the events in Kursk “offer an opportunity to test in real life” whether the Russians really oppose the war.
He said sarcastically that “liberated Russians could greet anti-Putin tanks with flowers, as a sign of ‘freedom at last!’”
Podolyak continued: “We expect such scenes, although the likelihood of this happening is already considered impossible.”
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