Ukrainian Offensive Shakes Russian Territory
The scenes unfolding were unmistakably Russian. A Gazprom facility stood prominently, flanked by flags displaying the nation’s iconic tricolor of white, blue, and red. A Pyatyorochka supermarket added to the familiar landscape. Yet, the soldiers posting videos from this area, verified by The New York Times, were Ukrainian. They appeared almost euphoric, showcasing just how effortlessly they had penetrated the border and breached Russian defensive lines within the past week.
In the Russian town of Sverdlikovo, a Ukrainian soldier hoisted another onto his shoulders, skillfully detaching a wooden post that had been anchored to a town council building. With a decisive motion, he tossed the Russian flag to the ground. In nearby Daryino, a town merely five miles to the west, other Ukrainian soldiers joined in the act, seizing a Russian flag. “Just throw it away,” one soldier remarked with a grin, as another playfully flexed his muscles in a display of camaraderie.
Credit: @ssternenko via Telegram
On August 6, Ukraine executed a bold military offensive, meticulously planned and cloaked in secrecy. The operation aimed to dramatically alter the trajectory of a war that had seemed increasingly unfavorable for Ukraine, as Russian forces steadily advanced in the east. This unexpected maneuver took even Kyiv’s most steadfast allies, including the United States, by surprise, pushing the boundaries of how Western military equipment could be utilized within Russian territory.
For Russia, this moment mirrored the shockwaves felt during Yevgeny V. Prigozhin’s mercenary march on Moscow in June 2023. The once-revered security apparatus that President Vladimir V. Putin had painstakingly constructed appeared to falter under the pressure of this surprise assault, failing in its fundamental duty to safeguard its populace. Furthermore, the unspoken social contract that had largely defined Mr. Putin’s 30-month military campaign — allowing ordinary Russians to continue their daily lives while he waged war — was once again thrown into turmoil.
