Russia’s failure in Kursk region increases the likelihood of negotiations - Bloomberg
Russia's failure to regain the lost part of the Kursk region undermines the Kremlin's position in the war and brings negotiations closer, especially amid pressure from the United States.
Bloomberg writes about this, Censor.NET informs.
Bloomberg emphasizes that this situation may affect the Kremlin's position in the context of peace talks, especially given the position of the Donald Trump administration, which insists on finding ways to end the war.
" Putin's inability to expel the Ukrainian army from Russian territory may take on additional significance as US President Donald Trump insists on concluding an agreement to end the war. While Russian troops continue to gradually advance on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv retains the Kursk region as a bargaining chip for a potential exchange of territories in any negotiations," the article says.
Russian analysts also note that the military leadership was unprepared for the loss of territory and a protracted conflict. Mikhail Vinogradov, head of the Petersburg Politics Foundation, admits that the effectiveness of Russian military operations was much lower than expected.
Even though the fighting in the Kursk region is taking place in a relatively small area, the very fact of the Ukrainian offensive in the region has come as a shock to Russians. Officials estimate that about 150,000 residents of the Kursk region have fled their homes due to the active fighting. In January, protests were held in Kursk, where local residents demanded that the authorities provide more support to the displaced and search for missing relatives.
Kursk activist Vladimir Sinelnikov said: "There is a war going on in our country, and the state is completely unprepared for it, from fortifications to housing certificates."
At the same time, the Kremlin does not consider the situation in the Kursk region a national problem. Chatham House consultant Nikolai Petrov noted that for the Russian authorities, this region is only a local crisis that does not require immediate resolution.
However, even with this approach, Moscow continues to send thousands of troops to try to regain control of the region. Bloomberg points out that this may become an additional factor in international negotiations:
"'Putin is having to prioritize as his forces are depleted and he seems to be more focused on gains in Ukraine than on recapturing territory in the Kursk region,' said Botha Ilias, a senior analyst at Prisma Strategic Intelligence Company.
At the same time, Russia continues to use attrition tactics, conducting offensives in eastern Ukraine to force Kyiv and the West to make concessions. The Kremlin openly states that it can wage war for another 2-3 years.
In turn, Donald Trump's administration is increasing pressure on Moscow to end the fighting. According to Bloomberg, the US president is threatening Putin with new large-scale sanctions if he does not make concessions in the negotiations.
