– Moscow has reportedly pulled troops out of southern Ukraine to fend off Kyiv’s incursion
– The Ukrainian offensive has seized about 400 square miles of Russian territory, similar in size to New York City
– Experts say the Ukrainian offensive is achieving its main goal of showing that Ukraine still has fight in it
– Russia has relocated troops from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to fight off the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region
– Ukrainian government officials have speculated that the incursion is to force Russia to pull back from the front lines in Donbas
– The operation may serve as a bargaining chip and increase Ukraine’s negotiating power in peace initiatives
– The offensive has forced Putin to demand answers and has been a source of humiliation for him
– Ukrainian President Zelensky has stated the offensive’s main goal is to put pressure on Russia and possibly trigger a cease-fire deal
– Russia has retaliated with missiles, drones, and airstrikes, claiming to have halted Ukraine’s advance
– Putin has vowed to kick out the Ukrainian forces and sees the offensive as an attempt to gain leverage in future peace talks.