Ukraine Launches Kursk Incursion into Russia

On August 6, 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise ground offensive into Russia's Kursk Oblast — the first time a foreign military had seized Russian territory since World War II. Ukrainian forces captured over 1,200 square kilometers and dozens of settlements before Russian forces, reinforced by over 50,000 troops including North Korean soldiers, began pushing back. The operation aimed to force Russia to divert resources from eastern Ukraine, create a buffer zone, and generate bargaining chips for future negotiations. It demonstrated Ukrainian strategic initiative and punctured the narrative of Russian territorial inviolability.