6, resulting in clashes on Russian soil that were described by Russian President Vladimir Putin as "a large-scale provocation." Russia's Defense Ministry acknowledged on Aug. 9 that its forces were fighting the Ukrainian army on the outskirts of the town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast.Earlier in the day, Russia's Defense Ministry said it was sending additional military equipment to Kursk Oblast's Sudzha district - a town located 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of the border with Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry's comments fall in line with those of European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano who said on Aug. 7 that "Ukraine has the legal right to defend itself, including striking an aggressor on its territory."U.S. Defense Department Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also told reporters on Aug.