The reaction of Russian officials and bloggers to cross-border incursions into Russia’s Belgorod region shows “continued heightened anxiety” about the war in Ukraine, military analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said, as quoted by Sky News.

In its daily analysis of the conflict, ISW said there were more signs that the Kremlin is trying to use the raids to bolster the idea that the war is “existential” for Russia and Vladimir Putin and “to garner domestic support for a prolonged war.” “

The American think tank said that some Russian mil bloggers used the situation in Belgorod to criticize the leadership in Moscow.

Others “argued that limited raids precede Ukrainian counteroffensive operations,” he adds.

ISW said former Russian officer Igor Girkin claimed the increased activity on Russian soil was the result of Moscow’s forces “wasting reserves” in the fall.

Girkin allegedly “argued that these failures made Ukraine aware of Russia’s relative weakness and suggested that they encouraged Ukrainian forces to conduct operations even inside Russia.”

He also said that the Kremlin would likely react to the alleged Ukrainian operations “too late, and that public support for the Russian leadership would have declined by then.”

“Other media bloggers claim that the raids in the Belgorod region are an attempt by Ukraine to distract Russian forces from important areas of the front,” ISW added.

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