At times, the war in Ukraine has had a relatively clear division between the power currently on the offensive, and the opposing force standing on the defensive. For most of the war Russia has held the initiative, and in 2024 that clearly remains the case along much of the front. But as Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region continues, it's become clear that the Russia may not hold a monopoly on battlefield initiative, and there are questions as to what the duelling offensives, Ukraine in Kursk and Russia elsewhere, are ultimately achieving for both sides. In this episode, we zoom in on the developments in Kursk and Pokrovsk, look at the escalation of the long-range strike efforts, including the reported development of new systems like Ukrainian jet powered attack drones, and ask how, and if, these current efforts might be shaping the conflict at a strategic level.