Battles rage in Russia as Kremlin struggles to repel surprise Ukraine incursion
www.nbcnews.com
The unprecedented assault entered its fourth day Friday with Moscow rushing reinforcements and bombing its own territory to try to contain the Ukrainian advance.

The unprecedented assault entered its fourth day Friday with Moscow rushing reinforcements and bombing its own territory to try to contain the Ukrainian advance.

A convoy of burnt-out military trucks, some bearing the “Z” symbol of the Kremlin’s war and appearing to contain bodies, sits along the side of a highway.

The video, circulating on social media Friday and geolocated by NBC News, doesn’t show a beleaguered section of the front lines in eastern Ukraine. It is a village in Kursk, across the border in southern Russia.

For days now Vladimir Putin’s forces have struggled to put down an incursion into Russian territory by Ukrainian troops, after a surprise attack that threatened to upend the war’s status quo and open a new front in a daring challenge to the Kremlin.

  • paddirn@lemmy.worldEnglish
    17·
    5 months ago

    Could have a couple of potential objectives:

    • Punch in the face that makes Russia & especially Putin look bad/weak, so it may hurt Russian/help Ukraine morale
    • May peel Russia’s forces away from the fight in Ukraine, since not only do they have to retake it (it’s not an option), but they may have to commit more forces across the rest of their border in areas that were once considered “safe”
    • If they’re able to secure the territory long-term, it could help in potential future peace talks as a bargaining chip
    • Makes the effects of the war more widely felt by average Russians, since it’s likely conscripted middle-class soldiers there vs the volunteer peons that are sent to die in Ukraine.
    • There is a supply route and a nuclear facility close by to that area, so potentially they’re trying to hit supplies behind enemy lines.

    Hopefully it works out well for them, as it is a big risk given that Russia is still on the offensive.

    • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.worldEnglish
      101·
      5 months ago

      The best reason I’ve heard speculated is that Russia has stopped doing big advances, which will make it much harder for Ukraine to force losses in a war of attrition. By opening up this front they’re forcing the Kremlin to throw more soldiers at them to be ground into sunflower fertilizer.

      • paddirn@lemmy.worldEnglish
        9·
        5 months ago

        Yeah, they were about to run out of steam on their offensive and were about to convert to a defensive footing, which would give them an advantage. Taking Russian territory forces the Russians to keep going on the offensive, which could strain them and prevent them from building up their manpower/equipment as much while on the defensive. There’s no way Putin can allow sovereign Russian territory to be taken by another country. It’s a bold move and I hope it pays off.