Ukraine war: What is Kyiv's daring 'White Triangle' invasion?

The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for more than two years now. In the latest news from the ongoing war, thousands of troops of the Ukrainian military supported by tanks and aircraft pushed more than 30 kilometres into Russia,attacking the regions of Kursk and Belgorod.

Ukraine's offensive in Kursk appeared to catch the Kremlin off guard, with the Russian Army rushing in reserve troops, tanks, aviation, artillery and drones in a bid to quash it.

This was Ukraine's largest incursioninto Russian territory since the start of the war in late February 2022, leavingsouthwestern parts of Russia vulnerable before reinforcement started arriving.

Russian authorities rushed to evacuate thousands of residents in Kursk and announced a local state of emergency in the region.

A similar situation was seen in Belgorod, with Russian authorities evacuating thousands of residents.

The White Triangle

Armoured vehicles of the Ukrainian militaryhave been seen rolling across the border sporting a "White Triangle" symbol. This is the first time that Russia has been invaded since the Second World War, and also the first time anyone invaded a nuclear-armed state.

Ukraine's operations in Kursk and Belgorod have led to some branding this offensive as "operation Triangle," a report by The Telegraph on Monday (Aug 12) said.

The report said that in Ukraine's Sumy region,a T64 tank with a triangle on its frontal armour was seen edging down a dirt road near the border. More than 20 kilometresinside Russia, near the town of Cherkasskoe Porechnoe, a tank and other armoured vehicles carried the mark, the report added.

Also watch | WION Fineprint: Has Ukraine's incursion changed the dynamics of the war?

The report also said that when Ukrainian troops drove into Kursk region's Guevo village to replace the Russian flag with their own,they drove in on a pickup truck carrying the white triangle symbol.

'A way to avoid friendly fire'

Ukrainian sources told The Telegraph that the tactical marking was no more than a way for the military to avoid friendly fire as they operated behind enemy lines in a chaotic, fast-paced mission.

Symbols such as the white triangle are a common part of modern warfare,especially when both sides use much of the same equipment and wear similar uniforms.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, many armoured vehicles had a "Z" symbol in white paint. This symbol, back in Russia, has becomesynonymous with support for President Vladimir Putin’s war.

(With inputs from agencies)