Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive has added a new element to their already chaotic war with Russia.
Ukraine’s military launched a surprise invasion on Aug. 6, moving into the Kursk region of Western Russia. Reports show that hundreds of Russian troops have been captured and placed in Ukrainian facilities as prisoners of war.
According to Ukraine’s top military commander, Aleksandar Syrski, Ukraine now controls 74 villages and towns in the Kursk region and holds about 400 square miles of Russian territory.
100,000 Russian civilians have fled the area and 2,000 have been reported missing from the territory. Russian reports indicate that 117 drones and four tactical missiles were destroyed over various territories, primarily above the Kursk Region.
As of now, Russia still holds 18% of Ukraine and continues to push into Eastern Ukraine towards Prokrovsk, a key hub for the Ukrainian army due to its access to transportation to other important Ukrainian military areas.
Ukraine’s Invasion of the Kursk Region has been theorized to be a tactic to draw troops away from the main battlefront in Eastern Ukraine, where Russia has more troops and equipment.
While there is no indication that troops are being taken from the eastern front to fight in the Kursk Region, media reports show that a limited number of fighters are being taken from Southern Ukraine to fight in Kursk.
Even though Ukraine has stated they do not plan on staying in Russia, they hope to expand fighting to Belgorod, an area near Kursk.
Though Ukraine’s invasion has put more pressure on The Kremlin, peace talks do not seem to be any closer.
Putin has shut down hope for negotiation, stating in reference to the recent Kursk Offensive, “How do we even talk with people who indiscriminately strike at civilians, at civilian infrastructure and try to create threats to nuclear energy? What can we even talk about with them?”
Russia seems intent on continuing its war, with Putin appearing to be unshaken by Ukraine’s surprise incursion.
According to Tatiana Stanovaye, founder of France-based analyst group, R.Politik, while the crisis has undermined Putin’s authority, his resolve remains unchanged.