Zelenskyy says Ukraine's Victory Plan is fully prepared

Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the Ukrainian army for the strike on the Russian military depot in Toropets, a town that lies about 500 kilometres from the border with Ukraine.

The attack on the military warehouse, which stored missiles and ammunition, was reportedly carried out by Ukraine's Security Service, along with the Defence Intelligence and Special Forces.

'This is the type of action that weakens the enemy.'

"First of all, today, I want to thank our warriors who ensure our Ukrainian long-range capability. There is a significant outcome from last night on the territory of Russia, and this is the type of action that weakens the enemy," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy also applauds military efforts in the Kursk region, and says troops 'performed admirably' in their strong response to the changes in the situation in the area.

"We are managing the situation at our foothold within the limits of our expectations. Maximum attention is also paid to the directions in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions – our entire east, Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Kurakhove. We are working on reinforcements, both in terms of weapons and personnel," he added.

The Ukrainian President previously said the incursion into Russia's Kursk was part of Ukraine's Victory Plan. Zelenskyy now says that Ukraine's Victory Plan is fully complete, and that the most important thing now is the determination to implement it.

Russia's army modernization

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the modernization of the Russian army and navy.

"We are implementing a program of comprehensive re-equipment of the army and navy, which means that the troops will receive not individual, but serial samples of modern high-precision weapons and armored vehicles, aviation, enemy detection and counter-battery systems, control and communication systems," Putin said on Wednesday at an army development meeting.

"And, of course, unmanned aircraft systems of various types from strategic and heavy to small and ultra-small. And these are reconnaissance aircraft, strike systems, patrol counter-battery systems, sappers, miners and fighters," he added.

The Russian President says that the effective us of the equipment will require highly skilled people who are ready to work with the new technology. He emphasizes a future priority will focus on effective training and recruitment.