For over a week, Ukrainian soldiers have been pushing into the Russian border region of Kursk, putting the Kremlin on high alert.
The Ukrainian offensive, which began on August 6, apparently caught Russian President Vladimir Putin by surprise. In response, the Russian leadership has initiated a large-scale evacuation of approximately 121,000 people from the region.
This situation presents a serious challenge for Putin. He seems to be shifting the responsibility for handling the offensive onto other Russian military and government officials.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and Frankfurter Rundschau, Putin is trying to present himself as a strong crisis manager while delegating defense duties to his subordinates.
In a recent televised meeting, Putin sharply rebuked Kursk's acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, accusing him of overstepping the Ministry of Defense's authority.
The ISW suggests this footage serves as a warning to other Russian officials to stay quiet about the Ukrainian offensive.
At the same time, Putin used the meeting to blame the West as the true mastermind behind the Ukrainian attacks.
"The West is fighting us with the hands of the Ukrainians," Putin stated, promising a "gigantic" response.
Meanwhile, Kyiv is preparing for possible massive rocket attacks on the Ukrainian capital, as reported by The Moscow Times. The Ukrainian government expects a harsh reaction from Russia and is planning countermeasures.
