Ukrainian officials have reported a significant escalation in Russian military presence in Kursk Oblast following Ukraine’s incursion into the region. According to Vadym Mysnyk, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command, Russian forces initially had about 11,000 personnel in Kursk Oblast at the onset of Ukraine’s offensive in early August 2024. However, by mid-September, the Russian force in the region had swelled to between 30,000 and 45,000 troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky corroborated these figures, stating that Russia has concentrated 40,000 soldiers in Kursk an…