“Ukrainians know how to achieve their goals. And achieving the goals at war was not our choice,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

“Russia brought the war to our land, and it should feel what it has done.”

Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the cross-border incursion into Russia would strengthen Kyiv’s hand in any future peace talks with Moscow.

“When you increase Russian losses… when you ramp up their war costs, such as destroyed military equipment, lost territory, lost people, will this affect how they perceive their war? Without a doubt,” he said.

Ukraine sprung the surprise assault into Kursk early on Tuesday morning, with what Russia described as a 400-strong “reconnaissance and sabotage” group.

Battlefield footage showed Russian strikes on columns of armoured vehicles, disabled Russian tanks, destroyed helicopters, damaged buildings and dead soldiers.