Russian forces are still scrambling to respond to the surprise Ukrainian attack after almost a week of fierce fighting, but Putin insisted Moscow's army will prevail.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the Ukrainian army’s incursion into the Kursk region, which has caused more than 100,000 civilians to flee and embarrassed the Kremlin, is an attempt by Kyiv to stop Moscow’s offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and gain leverage in possible future peace talks.