During a discussion at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russian President Vladimir Putin assessed the ongoing conflict, specifically focusing on Ukraine's recent military incursion into the Kursk Region. He stated that the Ukrainian forces have incurred severe casualties as a result of their operation, describing the situation as having backfired on Kiev.

Putin noted that Russian military efforts have effectively stabilized the situation and are progressively pushing Ukrainian forces back from the border areas. He further explained that by transferring strong and well-trained units to the border, Ukraine has weakened its position in crucial areas, particularly in Donbass, where Russian troops have been securing territory at an accelerated pace.

Despite expectations from Ukrainian officials that Russia would need to redeploy troops from the eastern front to address the incursion, this strategy has not proven successful, according to Aleksandr Syrsky, a high-ranking general in the Ukrainian military. The Russian president observed that Ukrainian forces are experiencing substantial losses in personnel and equipment, which he warned could lead to the collapse of their frontline capabilities on vital fronts. He cited recent estimates from the Russian Defense Ministry indicating that Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk operation exceed 9,700, along with significant losses in military hardware. Putin affirmed that these intelligence assessments were corroborated by various sources.