Putin is trying to divert attention away from Kursk in Azerbaijan

Putin arrived in Azerbaijan on Sunday in what ISW analysts believe is an attempt to divert attention away from Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region and present himself as a consistently effective diplomat.

“The timing of this visit is special given the situation in the Kursk region and the Kremlin’s ongoing efforts to minimize the scale and impact of the Ukrainian offensive,” the ISW report said.

“Russian state media focused on Putin’s visit to Azerbaijan with details, perhaps in part to distract from the awkward situation in Russia, filling the newsroom with a display of global diplomatic activity the Kremlin and its success,” the report said.

The Kremlin’s response to the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region indicates that priorities within the Kremlin are increasingly focused on regime stability, especially over the past year, according to ISW experts.