The surprise Ukrainian invasion of Russia's Kursk region is intended to create a "buffer zone" between the two countries and further complicate Moscow's cross-border offensive, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday.

"It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address, the first public acknowledgment of the offensive's true intent. 

"This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory – our operation in the Kursk region," Zelenskyy continued.

Ukrainian forces destroyed one bridge in the region this weekend and struck a second in a bid to disrupt Russian supply lines. Pro-Kremlin war bloggers have since acknowledged that the former strike, which targeted a bridge on the Seim River near the village of Glushkovo, Russia, was successful. The location and efficacy of the second attack were not specified as of Sunday morning.

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The reported strikes' effect on Russian infrastructure further complicates a situation that has already placed Moscow on an unexpected defensive, forcing it to re-evaluate its strategy along Ukraine's northeastern border, which is a region that was largely written off as insignificant to the conflict just months after it began in 2022.

"The Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast [has forced] a decision-point on the Kremlin and the Russian military command about whether to view the 1,000 kilometer-long international border with northeastern Ukraine as a legitimate front line that Russia must defend," the Institute for the Study of War’s George Barros previously told Fox News Digital.

"Russia has spent considerable resources to build fortifications along the international border area," Barros noted, "but has not allocated the manpower and [matériel] to significantly man and defend those fortifications."

Ukraine has claimed roughly 400 square miles of Russian territory since launching the operation on Aug. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

John Aprea, known for portraying a young Salvatore "Sal" Tessio in "The Godfather Part II," died earlier this month. He was 83.

Aprea "died of natural causes" on Monday, Aug. 5 in Los Angeles surrounded by his loved ones, his manager Will Levine confirmed to Fox News Digital.

"I am very saddened by the death of Mr. Aprea," Levine told Fox News Digital. "He was an incredibly talented actor and loved by his friends. One of the classiest guys I knew."

Aprea was born to Italian immigrants in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1941, and landed his first break in the industry in the 1968 Steve McQueen classic San Francisco cop drama, "Bullitt."

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He then went on to play young Tessio in "The Godfather Part II." When cast for the role, Aprea reportedly phoned Abe Vigoda, who played the older version of the role in Part I, to ask for character insight. 

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Vigoda told Aprea, "I don’t know what I did. Just have a good time, kid."

Aprea starred in a number of crime sagas in addition to soap opera dramas. 

He worked for decades as Alexander Nikos and Lucas Castigliano on the long-running daytime hit, "Another World."

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In addition to his work as a tough guy, Aprea played John Stamos' father on the family sitcom "Full House."

Years later, he reprised his role when the series was picked up for a Netflix reboot for "Fuller House."

Aprea is survived by his wife and partner of 25 years, Betsy Graci, daughter Nicole from a previous marriage, and stepchildren Marika Parker and Valentino Graci.