In the latest sign that after nearly nine months of war the tables are turning, Russia will be building a defensive line in its Belgorod region in a bid to defend itself against potential Ukrainian attacks from south of the border. The regional governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, made the announcement at a press conference and cited the tense situation on the border with Ukraine but did not offer many specifics. He hinted that some defense works may have started as far back as April. 

Beginning that month, Mr. Gladkov said, “we have been actively engaged in strengthening the borders” and “in any case, we are considering several options for the development of events; I hope we will not need pessimistic options.” He also did not spell out what those “pessimistic” options might be, but the very fact of a Russian official publicly admitting to being on the defensive is cause for optimism in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, lies just opposite the border from Belgorod and most Russian forces had withdrawn from the Kharkiv region by mid-September.