Ukrainian forces continue their offensive in Russia’s western Kursk region as their unexpected cross-border attack enters its fifth day. The Russian defense ministry stated on Friday that it is “continuing to repel” Ukrainian troops, claiming that Ukraine has lost over 280 personnel in the past 24 hours—a figure that remains unverified.

Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have penetrated more than 10 kilometers (six miles) into Russian territory, marking Kyiv’s deepest advance since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Although Ukraine has not officially acknowledged the incursion, President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked this week that Moscow must “feel” the repercussions of its invasion.

The fighting in Kursk has inched closer to a nuclear power plant, leading the UN nuclear agency to issue a statement urging both sides to “exercise maximum restraint.” Rafael Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), called on all parties to take precautions to “avoid a nuclear accident with potentially serious radiological consequences.”