Kursk incursion: Putin scrambles to save face — and his territory after Ukraine attack

Ukraine's Kursk incursion has embarrassed Vladimir Putin and left the Kremlin scrambling to reinforce the border region and battle Kyiv's troops.

Things seemed to be going so well for Vladimir Putin — at home and on the battlefield.

Now Russia is the battlefield, after Ukraine’s stunning assault across the border turned the tables of Putin’s war and left his army scrambling to retake its own land.

It’s a remarkable turn of events after a year of things largely going Putin’s way, from the short-lived mutiny he put down to his resilient economy and months of grinding gains on the front lines.

The Russian leader sounded almost irate as he vowed to “squeeze the enemy” out of his country’s territory at a crisis meeting with top officials Monday, warning that Kyiv will receive a “worthy” response to its Kursk offensive.

Putin convened a meeting with governors from the border regions as well as top defense and security officials on Monday.Gavriil Grigorov / APRussia remains united, he said. The country’s troops, he boasted, have even accelerated their advance in Ukraine’s east. And those forced to evacuate their homes in Russia’s border regions will be well taken care of.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/kursk-incursion-putin-russia-territory-ukraine-attack-rcna166345

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