Russians are furious after Ukraine destroyed an important ammunition depot in Russia earlier this week, with locals in the Tver Oblast of Russia taking aim at officials

Russia says its forces have retaken two villages in its Kursk region as part of an ongoing counteroffensive against Ukraine ’s incursion. Ukraine says its forces control about 100 villages in Kursk over an area of more than 1,300 sq km (500 sq miles), figures which Russian sources dispute.

Rightly embarrassed, Putin ordered the Kremlin to recapture Kursk by Oct. 1. And on Wednesday, Russian troops dutifully launched a counterattack along the western edge of the Ukrainian salient. “Russia's counteroffensive to drive Ukrainians out of the Kursk region has officially begun,” Finnish analyst Joni Askola announced.

The Russian military has suffered significant losses in the Ukraine war, with casualties exceeding 630,000 troops. Despite an impressive force generation capability over 940 days of fighting, Russia is struggling to replenish its ranks.