A conversation about the state of the battlefield in Ukraine and Russia.

Ukraine’s bold incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast two weeks ago has boosted Kyiv’s morale and changed the narrative of the war.

Ukraine’s Western allies have worried that any Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil could be met with a devastating response. But Putin’s next moves remain uncertain, as does the effect this attack will have on the Russian public’s perceptions of the war.

After the war in Ukraine freezes or ends, the Russian military will begin a long-term effort to regenerate equipment and personnel. 

The offensive at the site of a storied World War II battle has humiliated Putin. He wants revenge but should prepare for more to come.

Why did Ukraine launch an incursion into the Kursk Oblast?