UNITED NATIONS, October 21. /TASS/. The Kursk gamble of the Kiev authorities has only distanced the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told TASS in an interview.

"Undoubtedly, many states, having assimilated our arguments and explanations, realize that the Kursk gamble has only alienated the prospects for a peaceful settlement. Moreover, by invading the territory of Russia recognized by all the states of the world, the Ukrainian armed forces have demonstrated to the world majority their terrorist and aggressive nature, about which we have been warning for years," he said.

The Ukrainian armed forces attacked Russia’s Kursk Region on August 6. Residents of border areas are being evacuated to safe territories. According to the Defense Ministry, Kiev has lost up more than 25,000 servicemen and 167 tanks since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk area. The operation to destroy the Ukrainian armed formations continues.