Ukraine presses its advance on Russian soil, shaking Moscow
Ukraine continues to press into territory that is internationally recognized as part of Russia, a move that began last Tuesday in the Kursk region. The assault has surprised many observers and prompted Russian officials to describe the action as a major setback for President Vladimir Putin and a warning to Moscow’s high command. Since the start of the operation, portions of what most nations view as Russian territory have come under the control of Ukrainian forces for the first time since World War II, prompting Moscow to declare an anti-terrorist operation in three southeastern regions: Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod.
“Putin is in a foul mood — probably the most unsettled he has appeared since our troops were forced to withdraw from Kherson in late 2022”, some military sources told independent Russian outlets. Although Moscow annexed parts of Ukrainian provinces in 2022, it later withdrew from some areas after Kiev’s counteroffensive achieved gains, including the city of Kherson. The same sources noted, based on the president’s body language, that he appears displeased and uneasy with the current situation. Putin rose to power promising to protect Russia’s borders at a time when Chechnya was not under Moscow’s full control.
Some of the closest border towns near Ukraine in Kursk were evacuated last Thursday, while on Saturday Russia’s Emergencies Ministry spokesperson Artyom Sharov told TASS that authorities have relocated more than 76,000 people since the operation began. Civilians from districts near the Kursk border have taken refuge in temporary housing centers. The capital city’s mayor shared on social media that at least 16,000 evacuees have requested placement in designated shelters. Across the region, there are 60 reception points not only within Kursk but also in nearby areas such as Orel, Tula, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Kaluga, Tver, and Moscow itself.
Expanding the front
From Kyiv’s side, official comment has been restrained regarding the incursion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last Thursday that Russia has brought war into Ukraine since February 2022 and must now face its consequences. The Ukrainian military reported a reduced number of combat engagements on its own soil on Saturday. The Kursk operation has eased pressure on other parts of the front, where Moscow holds an advantage, as new flashpoints emerge and the front expands to more than 1,500 kilometers — a development that complicates Russian logistics. The United States, a key ally of Kyiv, stated it had no prior knowledge of plans to strike within Russian borders.
As this edition closes, Ukrainian forces remain concentrated in the Kursk region, though unconfirmed reports suggest small battalions under Kyiv’s control may have entered Belgorod. This region has suffered heavily in the Russia–Ukraine conflict and previously saw another incursion in May 2022, when Russian forces seized positions in Belgorod. Some independent Russian outlets claim numerous Russian soldiers were captured during the current incursion, though the Defense Ministry has not confirmed these reports.
Tension behind the lines
With a stretched front, tensions rise in frontline trenches. Russian military bloggers have criticized Chechen Governor Ramzan Kadyrov’s forces, accusing them of spending too much time filming for social media rather than engaging on the line. Blogger Yuri Kotenok stated on his Telegram channel that the frontier is now protected by units comprised mostly of conscripts. He added that the so‑called “TikTok troops” are farther from the action and thus harder to pin down. Pro‑war influencers who faced threats have apologized to the Chechen battalions, sometimes called Kadiriovites, for their comments.
Some residents of the Bryansk region expressed clear discontent with the current situation, noting that battles have begun inside Russian territory in the southeast. They had supported the Military Operation and the Russian armed forces from the outset but worry that infantry personnel are suffering fear and fatigue. This part of Russia remains under anti-terrorist operations and faces the risk of further incursions.