Ukraine's Kursk operation is devastating for Putin - Swedish Foreign Minister

The operation of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Kursk region of Russia undermined the regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and proved his threats that increased Western aid to Kyiv would lead to an escalation in the war to be false. The invasion of the Russian region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces has more political than territorial value.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said this in an interview with the Financial Times. He called on Kyiv's allies to increase their assistance and added that the Kursk operation changed the course of the war.

"The fact that it (the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive in Kursk region - Ed.) became possible at all is much more important than the actual territory on the ground. It is devastating for the Putin regime. It shows the Russian population, and it shows the world, that the Russian military machine is empty. It was unable to defend its border," he said.

The newspaper writes that some Western officials are worried about how the Kursk operation could affect Ukraine's already stretched forces in the east, especially around Pokrovsk, where Russia has made significant advances in recent days.

"War is a risky business. There can certainly be setbacks, but no one can ignore the fact that the Ukrainians were able to do it. And if they can do it once, they can do it twice or even three times. We have to stick to our stances," Billström said.

The Swedish minister said that he would not talk about military strategy, but the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk region has a huge political impact on the course of the war. According to the politician, it demonstrated both Putin's weakness and the mistake that some Western officials made by believing in threats of escalation, up to the use of nuclear weapons by Russia.

"Russian rhetoric keeps us on our toes. For a very clear reason: it is one of the few weapons left in Russia's arsenal that can make us fear Russia or maintain our terror of Russia. And we must not allow this to happen. Sooner or later, we all have to realize that much of what comes out of Moscow is empty talk. The goal is to make us believe that Russia is much stronger than it really is," the minister added.

As reported, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen said that Putin will still have to face the "reverberations" of Ukraine's unexpected offensive in the Kursk region. Apparently, the Ukrainian military intends to maintain control over the settlements they have managed to enter and are building defensive lines.

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