8/14: Kursk, Kursk, Kursk

I am sure you have been following the news of the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk.

The invasion is now in its 7th day and seems to be gaining momentum as more towns fall under as the Russian army melys away and more Russian soldiers surrender.

In 2022, when Ukraine was under threat of attack from a foreign country, citizens rallied to defend the government and the government gave out arms to its citizens.

Needless to say, no Russian citizens were clamoring to defend the Putin regime. Nor was the Putin regime eager to arms its citizens.

Two quick articles worth mentioning:

NY Times news section: At a Russian border point, scenes of ruin after Ukraine’s surprise attack

An extended article about the success of the Ukrainian incursion and Russian military failure.

Oddly, the NY Times opinion page decided on August 13 to run an op-ed entitled: Putin has Victory in his grasp.

Another editorial by another Russian expert explaining away Putin’s strategic genius.

Her main qualification as an expert seems to be that she was born in Russia.

To quote from official bio:

Anastasia grew up in southern Russia during the last years of the Soviet Union. She graduated with a degree in English and German studies from Kubansky State University and worked as a fiction translator. A recipient of the British Government Chevening Award, she moved to England for postgraduate studies, and then to the US, earning her MFA in Writing from Pacific University.  She's the author of  “Russia: Putin's Playground” (Callisto Media, 2016).

And to end with a joke:

After hearing about the invasion of Kursky, Putin returns to the Kremlin. He soon runs into Stalin’s ghost who asks what is bothering him. 

Putin explains that Russia has been invaded and there is fighting in Kursk.

Stalin answers, “Vladimir, just do what I did. Send in 2 divisions of your strongest Ukrainian soldiers and ask the Americans to send over a few hundred tanks. The battle will be over soon after.”