Just as importantly, it’s also sent a political message to Kyiv’s allies that has changed the prevailing narrative of the war - that Ukrainian forces are doomed to fight an endless rearguard action against superior Russian firepower. A Ukrainian soldier walks past at a city hall in Sudzha, Kursk region, Russia, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. But Ukrainian forces have shown that the conflict is not a one-way street. For the Ukrainians, sustaining the operation as Russia brings more artillery and aviation to bear will become increasingly difficult. But for every passing day that Ukrainian forces control an area of Russian territory the size of Hong Kong, the Kursk incursion becomes less of a footnote.

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Persons: CNN —, it’s, Vladimir Putin, “ Putin, ” Mathieu Boulegue, ”, ” Boulegue, Volodymyr Zelensky, “, ” Mick Ryan, Kursk “, Ryan –, Zelensky, ” Ryan, Boulegue, Sabrina Singh, Josep Borrell, Donald Trump, Olga Tatariuk Organizations: CNN, Institute for, Center for, Kremlin, Ukrainian, Futura, Kyiv, Ukrainian Defense Ministry, NATO, Russian, Chatham House, Special Forces, Special Forces of Locations: Russian, Kursk, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Washington, Australia, Kharkiv, Ukrainian, Sudzha, Germany, United States, Chatham, Glushkovo, Kursk Region, Special Forces of Ukraine, Donetsk, Pokrovsk, Hong Kong