Russia plans counterattack as Ukrainian gains slow in Kursk region
A detailed analysis of the front situation suggests that the Russians are preparing to try to retake areas controlled by Ukraine. Putin's army has limited troop movements in Donbas and Zaporizhzhia, which could signal a strong counterattack in the Kursk region, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have struck.
Since August, Ukrainian armed forces have been attacking more towns in the Kursk region. In total, the Ukrainian army has seized over 1,500 square kilometres of land in the Russian Federation.
Recently, the impressive charge has lost momentum. Since early September, Ukrainians have made only symbolic gains. Moreover, the Russians have already managed to retake some of the land controlled by Ukraine.
It turns out that Russia might be preparing for a major counterattack to regain lost territory. The Russian army has increased the number of soldiers to 40,000. More forces are arriving in border towns. This could be just the beginning of a broader operation.
Is Russia preparing for a counterattack? The troop movements suggest so
Journalist and war correspondent Marcin Ogdowski points out on the Interia portal that the movements of Russian troops on the front indicate one thing: Vladimir Putin may be thinking about retaking lost territories.
The Russian army has halted, among other things, the offensive on Pokrovsk in Donbas (which is causing significant concern among Ukraine's allies) and reduced the pressure on the front in Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, the last linear formations of Vladimir Putin's troops have left Belarus.
Why might the Russian dictator be so keen to retake lost territories? During potential negotiations, Putin wants to take the "land for land" card out of Kyiv's hands. According to experts (e.g., from the Centre for Eastern Studies), the war is inevitably approaching a point where negotiations will be necessary for both sides of the conflict.
