Ukrainian forces advance 1,000 sq km into Russia, humiliating Kremlin
According to statements from Ukrainian authorities, the Armed Forces of Ukraine control approximately 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. This is bad news for Vladimir Putin, as the myth of a great Russia has just crumbled. "He is not able to protect his own citizens," said Dr Łukasz Adamski in an interview with Interia.
The Ukrainian army's offensive in the Kursk region has been ongoing for over a week and is already being called the first and largest invasion of Russian territory since World War II. According to statements from Ukrainian authorities, the Armed Forces of Ukraine control approximately 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory.
The acting governor of the Kursk region, Aleksey Smirnov, admitted that the Ukrainian military has occupied 28 settlements in the region (according to independent estimates, there are even more).
This is definitely a slap in the face for Putin. The Ukrainian military actions are taking place about 30 kilometres deep into Russia, so the military threat is currently low, but the reputational costs are already high. This is humiliation for the Kremlin - said Dr Łukasz Adamski, Deputy Director of the Mieroszewski Centre, in an interview with Interia.
Why did Ukraine invade Russia?
With this offensive, Ukrainian authorities hope to strengthen their negotiating positions and force Russia to withdraw troops from Donbas. An open question remains whether Ukraine will be able to hold Russian territory long enough to achieve these goals.
For Putin, reclaiming the territories occupied by Ukrainians is an absolutely prestigious issue. He cannot afford a situation where people start asking him how it's possible that in a war where he wanted to conquer Ukraine - explained the expert.
As Adamski emphasised, for now, the Ukrainians have captured barely 2-3 percent of the Kursk region's territory, but if they were to capture more and manage to fortify their positions, Putin would find himself in a very unfavourable situation.
Putin talked to his compatriots about a great victory over Ukraine and a reborn great Russia, but it turned out that he is not able to protect his own citizens - he added.
