"As of today, 28 settlements are under enemy control, the depth of penetration into the territory of the Kursk region is 12 kilometers, and the front's width is 40 kilometers" - Kursk region acting governor told Putin. Putin interrupted him and said not to mention numbers.
I think they mean that 28 previouslty occupied settlements in Kursk have been de-Nazified and reincorporated into the Kyivan Rus by their rightful owners.
Pretty sure that video is from the 8th of August? If so, the information presented here is outdated (not that the Russians were credible in the first place). Or has there been a more recent briefing?
I'm a bit worried that Ukraine will avenge Bucha and the others. That would be a bad thing in many levels.
Then again, I'm not sure how we could get reliable data about such a thing anyway: if they are forced to retreat from those areas, Russia will certainly accuse them of atrocities. Perhaps even make a few of their own and blame Ukraine.
Ukraine needs Western aid. They are not going to risk that for some stupid revenge. That kind of revenge would have the very serious consequence of loosing the war, turning it into no revenge at all.
Also those atrocities early in the war seem to come from units from the backcountry of Russia, places with ethnic minorities and extreme poverty, probably not very well educated. Closest thing we have to barbarians in the modern day. I don't think we'll find that mentality in any ukranian units
I'd imagine they where all very strictly instructed to be courteous but direct and not accept Russians fucking with them but also to leave the locals alone. This will show Russians the sharp contrast with the MOD goon-squad if the Russians manage to take Kursk back.
And record it all. Did you see the video of the older ladies asking for a ride? Clearly the Russians in that area are aware of who is violent for the sake of being violent and who is defending their homeland against a violent intruder.
At best this is a risky incursion which the Russian people will forget about in the coming weeks, that's if the Russian propaganda machine hasn't already spun it in their favour.
We seem to forget that making Putin look bad is a fool's errand when we're talking about a country where the state controls the media and where dissenters are either locked away in a remote gulag, or punted off a third-storey window in a way to vaguely look like suicide.
And at worst... this could lead to an escalation...
The closest we've had to a decisive blow against Russia was Prigozhin's revolt.