Intensified Russian counterattacks likely aim to drive Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region. This operation is planned before adverse weather conditions in the fall and early winter begin to restrict maneuvers on the battlefield, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Ukrainian officials have previously noted that Russian forces are ramping up offensive operations in Ukraine, particularly mechanized assaults, to take advantage of dry roads and terrain before the rainy season turns muddy. This Russian operational calculation probably extends to efforts to reclaim the entire …