Putin on Thin Ice: 130,000+ Displaced Russians as Ukrainian Incursion Continues

The unexpected Ukrainian incursion — that surprised both Russia and the West — into a small part of Russia’s Kursk region last week hasn’t changed the overall trajectory of the Russo-Ukrainian war, as of yet.

But it has shown that Ukraine can still surprise its enemy. That might just be what it needs ahead of a November US election, where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are on the ballot.

Ukraine wants to show the West that it can still win this war.

It also wnats to show the Russian public that Putin is not the mastermind some think he is. The war is most certainly not going according to anyone’s plan in Putin’s inner circle. It has pushed the Russian government and society, which had largely adapted to the conflict, into a new phase of uncertainty.

The more the Russians see that, the more likely it is the war machine will crumble.

Now that the war has been brought to Kursk, Putin is once again on thin ice.

Let me explain.

Photo by ev on Unsplash

First, let’s briefly go over a potential strategy for the Ukrainian invasion.

Retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan discusses some.