The Ukrainian Offensive: Will it Matter?

On August 6th, 2024, a surprising development occurred in the Russo-Ukrainian War: Ukraine began an incursion into the Kursk Region of Russia via a poorly defended border area. Ukraine now controls “about 500 square miles of Russian land”, territory which was mapped in a secret plan designed to divert Russian forces from being able to strike deeper into its territory. Even though Russian military personnel knew that Ukraine was planning an offensive, they failed to report it up the chain of command despite having advanced knowledge of the plans for at least a year, an oversight that Moscow will not let happen again.