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15 August 2024

Ukraine’s raid in Russia is an audacious gamble

Jacob Reynolds

Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region has taken both the Kremlin and the West by surprise.

After launching the shock raid on 6 August, Ukrainian forces have made significant inroads into Russia. They now claim to hold 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory, and have also been involved in skirmishes on the border with Belgorod, another Russian region to the south of Kursk.

It is worth pausing to note how remarkable this is. In the 900 days since Russia began its full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been battered by a Russian military enjoying a huge advantage in terms of men and military equipment. In recent months, the headlines in the West have become increasingly gloomy, as Russia has eked out consistent gains in Ukraine’s east, blasting what it calls ‘historic Russian lands’ with enormous remotely guided bombs. Ukraine’s manpower and morale are arguably at the lowest they’ve been since the start of the war. And yet Ukraine has once again shown that it is still capable of springing a surprise and striking a blow against Russia.

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