For the first time in a long while, or perhaps ever, Zelensky and Putin are directly challenging each other. In a world of strong-willed war leaders, this signals that the conflict is now must be resolved by force and likely in Kursk 1/
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For the past week, the Russian government has downplayed the Ukrainian incursion in Kursk. Russian media referred to it as the work of sabotage groups, emphasizing humanitarian support and evacuation efforts. There was no mention of the scale 2/
Today, Zelensky and his Commander in Chief Syrskyi publicly declared that Ukraine now controls and occupies around 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, directly challenging the Russian narrative of control in Kursk. 3/
At the same time, Putin convened a meeting with his top officials, directing the Ministry of Defense— that is, the army, and not the FSB, which had previously been tasked with handling the issue—to "push the enemy out of Russia and secure the borders." 4/
Both leaders of the warring states made public claims on TV, broadcast both domestically and internationally, about who controls and should control Kursk. Now, if Putin fails to push Ukraine out, it will result in a direct, widely known embarrassment. 5/
The next several days to weeks will be critical and could significantly impact the balance of power in the war between Russia and Ukraine. The Kursk incursion seems to be a serious strategic move by Zelensky, with far-reaching implications. 6X
BBC reports that Putin vows to move the enemy out, but in Russia’s Kursk Ukraine is digging in
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Here is a Russian Embassy doubles down on the importance to win the new battle of Kursk
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And yet some of the Russian accounts are still pushing the false line that Ukraine isn’t making any progress in Kursk, even according to Ukraine.
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