Russia's Weak Response in Kursk May Signify Dissent Against Putin, Expert Suggests

The lack of strong resistance against the Ukrainian incursion from the Russian army and security forces in the Kursk region may indicate that the elites are thus sending a message to Putin to stop the war.

This opinion was expressed by Michael Bociurkiw, a senior fellow at the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council.

“This is very interesting and even fascinating. There is now a discussion within the Atlantic Council that the slow Russian response may indicate hints of insubordination at this point. Because it is very difficult to explain this almost completely impotent response to the Ukrainian invasion,” Bociurkiw said in a commentary to the BBC.  

“First, the Ukrainian troops plastered by where there were supposed to be highly effective barriers. And second, you are not seeing much resistance from the general population and from law enforcement, there have been no shots reported fired from any police station. I think this slowmo kind of reaction of the security forces, if that is indeed the case, may indicate that the generals and the FSB are telling Putin: "Enough is enough!"