Kremlin advisor Nikolai Patrushev accused NATO and Western intelligence services of planning the Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Kursk region, asserting that Kyiv would not dare to attack Russian territory without their support.
The Ukrainian offensive in Kursk, which began on August 6, has resulted in at least 12 civilian deaths and over 120 injuries. Ukrainian forces advanced 12 kilometers, capturing several villages and displacing thousands.
Russia has vowed a strong response to what it sees as a provocation, reaffirming that it will achieve all its objectives in its special military operation in Ukraine, despite recent losses in the Kursk region.