Russia reinforces Kursk region as video shows evidence of Ukrainian attack

Kremlin struggles to respond to Ukraine's shock offensive inside Russia

The Kremlin has likely opted to declare a counterterrorism operation (CTO) regime instead of martial law to downplay the scale of the incursion into Kursk Oblast and to avoid causing panic or backlash domestically.

In May, President Joe Biden allowed Kyiv to use U.S.-supplied weapons against targets just across the Russian border to repel Moscow's push on the Kharkiv region.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has recently seen a significant escalation, as Russian forces attempt to repel the largest incursion into their territory in decades by Ukrainian troops.