See inside the NYC-sized area of Russia that Ukraine seized in its lightning offensive

Tech Insider
A statue of Vladimir Lenin in the Russian town of Sudzha is damaged by fighting as a tattered Russian flag billows in the background.
A statue of Vladimir Lenin in the Russian town of Sudzha was damaged by fighting as a tattered Russian flag billows in the background.

KIRILL CHUBOTIN / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Russia's economic growth is masking a looming 'economic catastrophe,' researchers say

Tech Insider : Economy
Russia Putin Shoigu Yevmenov Navy Day
Russia's private sector is deteriorating while the nation pours money into its military and defense, the researchers said.

ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine says it kept its plans for the Kursk offensive secret even from the Pentagon. Here's why.

Tech Insider : Politics
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden
Zelenskyy defiantly explained why he didn't share details of the Kursk incursion with the West.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Zelenskyy said Ukraine told no one about the Kursk invasion because its allies would have called it 'unrealistic'

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking during an interview with French media in Rivne.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country did not inform their allies about the planned incursion on Kursk because it would have seemed "unrealistic" to them.

Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images

Ukrainian soldiers suspected they would invade Russia when they got new rifles, but still thought it was a joke when the orders came through

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A Ukrainian soldier firing a machine gun at Russian drones.
"We joked that it wasn't April 1st. The commander just smiled, knowing we had no idea what was awaiting us," a Ukrainian soldier identified only by his first name, Serhiy, said of the orders to invade Russia, per The Economist.

Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images

Russia has likely diverted thousands of soldiers to counter Ukraine offensive, US officials say

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In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, soldiers sit in a military truck as a column of the Russian Armed Forces move to build up forces conducting active combat operations with Ukrainian formations in the Sudzhansky district of Kursk region of Russia. One solider waves at the camera.
Russia is moving troops to defend Kursk — though many are likely conscripts from within the country.

Ukraine kept the West in the dark about its invasion of Russia until after it struck: report

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Zelensky
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspects Ukrainian positions near Kharkiv in April 2024.

AP

Ukraine's attack took perfect advantage of Russia's internal dysfunction, where nobody was in charge

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In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, soldiers sit in a military truck as a column of the Russian Armed Forces move to build up forces conducting active combat operations with Ukrainian formations in the Sudzhansky district of Kursk region of Russia. One solider waves at the camera.
Russian soldiers being rushed to Kursk's Sudzhansky district during Ukraine's incursion.

Russia left 'mainly kids' and conscripts to defend its borders, Ukrainian soldier says after surprise attack

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ukraine troops
Ukraine launched a surprise offensive into Kursk last week.

ROMAN PILIPEY/Getty Images

Putin is giving cash to Russians fleeing Ukraine's surprise attack — but only $115

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President Vladimir Putin, left, sits at a desk, facing a screen for a video call with acting Kursk governor Alekey Smirnov as they discuss the Ukrainian incursion there, in a picture published by the Kremlin on August 8, 2024.
President Vladimir Putin discussing the unexpected incursion of Ukraine into the Kursk region in August, 2024.

Kremlin

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