UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT-WAR

This photograph shows a road sign showing the distance to the Russian town of Kursk next to the destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 13, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On August 6, 2024, Ukraine launched an offensive surprise into the Russian border region of Kursk capturing over two dozen towns and villages in the most significant cross-border attack on Russian territory since World War II. Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrsky told the Ukrainian President in a video posted on August 12, 2024 that his troops now control about 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory and are continuing "offensive operations". (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) (Photo by ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images)