Russian officials declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as Ukrainian forces continued a second day of advancement into the Kursk region of western Russia.

To eliminate the consequences of enemy forces coming into the region, I took the decision to introduce a state of emergency in the Kursk region from August 7.
—Alexei Smirnov, Kursk acting governor

• Ukrainian forces previously made incursions in this area, but never on such a large scale.
• Not expecting a need to defend this region against a serious attack, the Russians left it with few defenses.
• This allowed the Ukrainians to steamroll in and advance some 10 miles into Russia.
• This is a deeper advance in two days than Russia has made into Ukraine in months.

In a televised conference, Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov informed President Vladimir Putin that “up to 1,000 people” fighting for Ukraine have advanced into Kursk. Putin called the incursion a “major provocation” and dispatched a government official to demand that the world condemn it.

Asymmetrical tactics: It is unlikely Ukraine will maintain its control over the Russian territory. The incursion is likely an attempt to divert some Russian forces in eastern Donbas away from their positions to provide relief for Ukrainian forces that are stretched thin there.

Given Russia’s strategic superiority in resources and manpower and given Russia’s readiness to tolerate inadequate losses … Ukraine may need to focus even more on asymmetrical tactics and out-of-the-box solutions that hit Russia hard where it doesn’t expect. Just fighting through walls of endless Russian frontal attacks slowly closing in under the rain of gliding bombs for months and years is a bleak perspective.
—Illia Ponomarenko, Ukrainian journalist

‘Prince of Russia’ dead set on winning: Despite his failure to secure the quick takeover of Ukraine he expected, Putin remains fiercely determined to conquer the nation. Bible prophecy shows this is linked to Putin’s role as the “prince of Russia.”

In his booklet The Prophesied ‘Prince of Russia,’ Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry writes that Ukraine is “the linchpin of [Putin’s] goal of a renewed imperial Russia!”

To learn more, read “Putin Can’t Afford to Lose in Ukraine.”