CIA: Putin plans counteroffensive in Kursk to regain lost territory

(Patria) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely launch a counteroffensive to try to regain territory in the Kursk region occupied by Ukrainian troops.

This was stated today by the Deputy Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), David Cohen, reports the English-language editorial office of Radio Free Europe.

- We can be sure that Putin will launch a counteroffensive to try to regain that territory. Our expectation is that it will be a difficult fight for the Russians - Cohen said at a national security conference in Maryland.

According to him, while Kyiv says it has no intention of annexing the occupied area, Ukrainian troops are building defensive lines and appear to intend to hold "some of that territory for some time.

Ukraine claimed to have captured 100 settlements during the offensive in the Kursk region, while Russian forces continue to advance in Ukraine's Donetsk region.