When the Ukrainian army made a sudden, quick thrust into Russia’s Kursk region on Aug. 6, handing yet another surprise to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his security services (the United States was surprised as well), the commentary settled into another period of bombastic celebration.

“They’re [Ukrainian forces] gaining an enormous morale boost,” retired Gen. David Petraeus said on CNN. “It’s a huge blow to Putin needless to say.” Carl Bildt, Sweden’s former prime minister, was even more ebullient, writing that “Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk has fundamentally changed the course of the conflict.” Retired Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, exclaimed that Kyiv’s operation in Kursk tore apart Russia’s narrative of invincibility.