European Commission speaker on events in Kursk Oblast: Ukraine has right to self-defence

Peter Stano, the European Commission's spokesman on foreign policy issues, has stated in response to the events in Russia's Kursk Oblast that Ukraine has the right to self-defence and can strike Russian territory.

Stano said in a comment to Suspilne that international law stipulates that Ukraine "has the legal right to defend itself, in particular by striking at the aggressor on its territory".

"The EU continues to fully support Ukraine's legitimate right to defend itself from Russian aggression and its efforts to restore sovereignty and territorial integrity," the European Commission spokesman added.

On the morning of 6 August, Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Russia's Kursk Oblast, claimed that Ukrainian forces had mounted an attempt to infiltrate the Sudzha and Korenevo districts of Kursk Oblast. 

Russian propagandists and milbloggers are claiming that Ukrainian forces secured a foothold in the border area. Russian ruler Vladimir Putin called the situation a "provocation".

Ukraine has not yet commented on the events in Kursk Oblast.

The United States said it wants to contact Kyiv to clarify information about events in the Kursk Oblast.