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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky looks at F-16 fighting aircrafts during marking the Day of the Ukrainian Air Forces, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location, Ukraine, August 4, 2024.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of the country’s military have so far refused to comment on a reported Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region of Russia. For now, information about the attack is coming only from official Russian sources. But whatever the Ukrainians are doing, they have the Russian government’s full attention.
On Tuesday, Russia claimed to have repelled a“massive” Ukrainian attack by land and air in the area, but Kremlin officials were forced to acknowledge on Wednesday that the fight was continuing. The region’s local governor has declared astate of emergency, and local residents have been asked to both donate blood and to evacuate. Russia has also deployed National Guard troops to protect a nuclear power plant located 40 miles inside Russia.
Whatever happens over the next few days, this is not the beginning of a major Ukrainian push into Russian territory. Ukrainian forces lack the manpower and the weapons to sustain a major push.
But Ukraine may well succeed in forcing Russia to redeploy troops from other areas to play defense on its own territory. It will certainly boost Ukrainian morale. Finally, it signals to President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine is still capable of embarrassing his military and throwing a wrench in Russian battle plans.
One more detail to watch: Russian witnesses say the small Russian town of Sudzha has been attacked and is on fire. Sudzha is also thelast major transit point for the Russian pipeline gas that’s still heading to Europe.