August curse haunts Putin: Russia's territorial loss deepens crisis

August is a particularly tough month for Russians. The daily Libertatea recalls an attempted coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, the sinking of the submarine Kursk, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and financial crises—all of this happened in August. And now, Putin as the first leader since Stalin, has lost his country's territory.

"The Times" points out that Vladimir Putin may be the next victim of the "August curse" that has plagued Russia for three decades.

On August 12, 2000, the nuclear submarine Kursk sank, killing 118 sailors. This happened just a few months after Putin took power. Vladimir immediately found himself under a wave of criticism. Although he survived his first crisis, the incursion of Ukraine into the Kursk region may prove to be an even more significant blow to his administration.

In just a week of fighting, in some places, Ukrainian forces advanced as much as 20 miles into Russia. This made Putin the first Russian leader since World War II to lose territory to a foreign army, notes "The Times."

We see how Russia really moves [under Putin’s rule]: 24 years ago, there was the Kursk disaster – the symbolic beginning of his rule; and now we can see what the end for him is. And that is Kursk as well. The disaster of his war, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about Putin's administration.

Also, in August, Russia faced terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and financial crises. Last August, the Wagner mercenaries also rebelled and began their march on Moscow.

"The Times" writes that the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian region is a blow to Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin leader is unlikely to change his tactics."

At this moment, the Ukrainian offensive may, paradoxically, work in Russia's favor. As Aleksandr Gabuev from the Russian think tank Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center points out, many Russians may now agree with Putin that the war in Ukraine is necessary to preemptively repel an attack from Kyiv and its NATO allies.

According to Gabuev, the Ukrainian offensive is a humiliation for Putin, but in the long run, it will not have strategic significance.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will refrain from attacking Kursk if Russia agrees to a "just peace." However, the Russian leader seems to have no desire for any negotiations.

What is there to talk about with them? Putin fumed on Tuesday when Ukrainian troops also entered the Russian region of Belgorod.