“Operation Liquidation” reads the headline in one opinion piece on the incursion inside Russia.
But it’s not a reference to Ukraine’s offensive. It’s a prediction of what will be unleashed on Russia’s enemy in return.
“The lives of the militants, from this gang that is doomed-to-destruction, are not worth a penny,” writes the author, in state-run tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets.
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Were Russia’s forces caught off-guard? Apparently not.
The only surprise was the “predictability” of Ukraine’s leader.
“Zelenskyy once again confirmed his military-political stupidity and complete dependence on Western puppeteers,” the piece continues.
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Elsewhere, it’s more of the same – a focus on Ukrainian losses and supposed Russian resistance.
“Ukrainian Armed Forces lost four tanks and 280 soldiers in the Kursk direction in 24 hours,” trumpets the weekly newspaper, Argumenty i Fakty.
There’s no mention of the fact that, for the first time since this war began, Ukrainian forces have taken control of some of its territory.
“Governor announces Lipetsk’s return to normal life,” declares Russian daily Izvestia, following last night’s drone attack that prompted a mass evacuation.
Only this is not normal at all. The incursion is unprecedented, and it’s into its fourth day.
There’s plenty of coverage on the impact on civilians, and the reports from Russia’s Health Ministry that 66 people, including 9 children, have been wounded.
“Mom, dad, is there banging again?” reads a headline on the Lenta.ru website.
“All night, the frightened residents of Sudzha hid from the shelling,” the article goes on.
The focus on the civilian impact fits into the narrative the Kremlin has built around the war in Ukraine – that Russia is the victim, on the defensive against an evil aggressor in league with the West.
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In reality, of course, Russia invaded Ukraine, and has been shelling its neighbour for nearly two and a half years.
Somewhat predictably, there are attempts to join the dots to Ukraine’s allies.
“This is, of course, a joint operation between Britain or the United States, it doesn’t matter who exactly,” asserted one commentator on state-controlled Channel 1 today, without offering any evidence. Other ‘experts’ claimed Germany is behind it.
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How significant is Ukraine’s advance into Kursk?
So what has Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief, been up to whilst all this has been going on? Well, yesterday, he was busy signing a stack of more than 50 apparently unrelated new laws.
They include a ban on selling energy drinks to children, as well as the imprisonment of soldiers for using smartphones.
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On the surface, at least, there’s no sign Russia is rattled.
But as the independent outlet Agentstvo notes, Moscow has now declared “victory” over the Ukrainian advance six times now.
