Anxiety and Tensions Rise as Russia-Ukraine Conflict Continues.

The Russian military's disproportionate response to recent attacks in the Belgorod region may be an attempt to "project confidence" ahead of an anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive, according to the Institute for the Study of War. The attacks by the Freedom of Russia Legion, a Russian anti-Kremlin militia, have been used by Russian milbloggers to flame ongoing tensions between the Kremlin and Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin. Ukraine is expected to launch a counteroffensive in the coming months to reclaim Russian-occupied territory, and Ukrainian intelligence chief Major General Kyrylo Budanov recently teased that the start of the counteroffensive is on the horizon.