Vladimir Putin faces “two choices” in how he could respond to the Kursk incursion, military analyst Sean Bell says.

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Bell highlighted one of the key current flashpoints of the war in Ukraine – Kyiv’s surprise lightning incursion into the western Russian region.

On 6 August, Ukraine surprised Russia by surging across the border and into its territory.

While fighting in the east has been edging in Russia’s favour, they are yet to dislodge the Ukrainian troops holding out in Kursk.

Some reports have, however, claimed Russia has retaken some ground (see our 9.32 post).

“The question is what will happen next? When we look at the strategy, Ukraine’s appears to be: make an incursion and blow the bridges to stop Russia pushing them out, they’ve said they don’t want to hold ground at all, so the main reason is to embarass Putin, and get him to move some troops up from the east,” Mr Bell says.

But he said that, in response, the Russian President faces “two choices”.

While he could redirect troops and resources to the incursion to try and defeat it, Mr Bell said those in the Kremlin could be considering another option.

“He does have a second option, 10,000 Ukraine troops are reported to be in that pocket in Kursk, they’re all battle-hardened and they’re now fixed in place.

“Meanwhile, if this is the main effort for Putin in the east, one of his options is to go ‘we’ll deal with Kursk another day, we’ll put some forces around it to stop them moving and the east will be the main effort’.”

In the east, Russia’s forces have been making steady gains as they look to take control of the region.

There have been reports today (see our 9.34 post) that within the eastern warzone, new Ukrainian recruits are struggling with combat basics, contributing to their losses.