Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says his troops’ positions in Russia’s Kursk region are “strengthening” as its deepest offensive over the border since the war began 2.5 years ago continues. Yesterday, Russian officials claimed Ukraine has “completely destroyed” a strategically important bridge used to get supplies to its troops, and Ukraine claimed it’s still making progress and is now controlling over 80 Russian settlements. It marks the biggest attack on Russian soil since World War II, and experts say it’s a significant shift in the dynamic with Ukraine asserting itself in the conflict. 

How did Ukraine do it?

It’s been made possible thanks to the supply of military hardware and ammunition from the West. Russian officials say the  “terrorist invasion” won’t change the course of the war, and while it’s too early to know if that’s the case, it’s embarrassing for Russian President Vladimir Putin… Experts say his military didn’t see the attack coming due to Ukraine’s excellent planning of the secret offensive (which even Ukraine’s allies didn’t expect…), which has led to it controlling more than 1,000km2 of enemy territory. Ukraine spent weeks building up a force using soldiers from “battle-hardened units”, and since crossing the border, air defences, supporting artillery, and jamming devices to prevent Russian military communications have sustained the offensive. Analysts say it shows “there is no such thing as war fatigue” for Ukraine, as overnight it blew up a second Russian bridge… 

What’s next? 

Ukraine’s long-term plan isn’t clear – it could continue pushing into Russian territory or return to its own front line where reports say Russian troops are making gains. Experts say it depends on whether the objective is to make a point to Moscow that “great powers do not lose their territories” or if it wants to really hurt Russia. Either way, even Putin’s staunchest allies are concerned, with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko saying leaders should “sit down at the negotiating table and end this scuffle.” Whether anyone could broker ceasefire talks is a big TBD… Ahead of that, Ukraine may have bigger issues to address as experts warned its Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is “deteriorating” after a drone strike on Saturday. International Atomic Energy Agency boss Rafael Grossi says he’s concerned for the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear facility and called for “maximum restraint from all sides.”