Russia Ukraine war, page-235853

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-04/ukraine-russia-kursk-incursion-abc-crosses-border/104294808

ABC journalist visits occupied Kursk in Russia
Some excerpts..

“[The Russians] say that they only watch Russian propaganda on TV that says they are helping us and liberating the population in Ukraine,” Ukrainian military spokesperson Vadym Misnyk told us.

“Now they see what we have endured in Ukraine and now they do not understand why Russia itself is shelling them.”

For Zoya, now in her 70s, she never expected to be living some of her last days under Ukrainian occupation.
“If Ukraine had not helped us, we wouldn’t be here at all,” she says.
“I blame him [Putin]. I don’t like his politics … he does not solve anything. I do not understand anything now. It all started with seizure of territory, that’s what the leaders decided, and we people suffer,” she said.

“Ukrainian soldiers are helping us. Bread was brought to us, medicines were brought. Thanks to them for that. We live and survive. And we don’t know what will happen next,” another woman said.
This is a destitute area of Russia that Vladimir Putin appears prepared to sacrifice.
He had young, poorly trained conscripts manning the border, many of whom surrendered when Ukrainian soldiers stormed their posts.
Kyiv wanted to bring what its citizens have endured to the homes of Putin’s people.
The invasion forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate and left people homeless and feeling abandoned by their leader.
Ukrainian soldiers ask them if they’ve heard of the atrocities committed by Russian soldiers, including the massacre in Bucha. Most are not aware.

Flyers are distributed in the town, advertising the perks of signing up to the military as a soldier in the Russian Army.
These people have been given an altered version of the reality playing out in Ukraine.
“He can spin public opinion whichever way he wants to,” director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative Peter Zalmayev said.
“We’re already seeing that there’s an information propaganda campaign kicking into high gear where Putin is saying this is a war of aggression against us, against Russia,” he said.

“The Russians have not withdrawn troops from critical areas of the front in the east of Ukraine. So, I think, it’s too early to say what the outcome of this will be,” Mr Zalmayev said.
“I think just to say that Putin will be brought to the negotiating table is, first of all, very premature and also naive. I think that it may sound very grim, but for as long as Vladimir Putin is alive and is in power, the war will continue in one way or another.
“A ceasefire is possible here and there but peace negotiations, I’m very sceptical.”
As we cross the border, one thing is clear — the horrors of war that haunt Ukraine, have made their way to Russia.