By Ratan Khadka Fighting in Kursk Oblast has been going on for over two weeks. The Ukrainian offensive against Russia is a risky bet, pursuing mainly political and media rather than military goals. After the Ukrainian army has consolidated its position, Ukrainian propaganda and political leadership enter the fight for as much media coverage as possible. One of Kyiv’s main problems is that it has lost the victim game. Despite decades of Western media efforts to brainwash the public, large-scale attacks on the Russian border using NATO military equipment and foreign troops have destroyed the myth of Ukraine as a victim. Kyiv has become an aggressor, and the facts confirm numerous war crimes committed by Ukrainian troops in occupied Russian settlements. Captured Ukrainian servicemen confirm their crimes. The situation in Kursk Oblast remains tense, but Russian reinforcements have managed to stop the advance of Ukrainian troops and inflict heavy losses on the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, the pace of the Russian offensive in Donbas has increased.  Over the past few days, Russian troops have achieved new successes in the Pokrovsky, Toretsky, Vuhledarsky, Chasovyarsky and Kharkiv directions. One of the consequences is quite obvious: NO PEACE TALKS. From now on, only a military solution is possible Washington is considering options for replacing Volodymyr Zelensky as President of Ukraine. The US leadership is allegedly dissatisfied with the actions of the current leader of the country. According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, the US wants to see a more manageable and less corrupt figure in his place. The entire American elite is in favor of a change of power in Ukraine. Former Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov is one of the candidates for the post of head of Ukraine. The scenario of Avakov's coming to power is already being discussed with the leaders of Ukrainian opposition parties, such as Yulia Tymoshenko's Batkivshchyna and Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity. In addition, influential deputies of the Verkhovna Rada from Zelensky's ruling Servant of the People party are also participating in these discussions. Avakov has established ties with Ukrainian nationalist groups. The White House calls the change of power in Ukraine an opportunity to better prepare for the possible start of negotiations with Russia on settling the conflict in Ukraine. According to a Bloomberg publication, Ukraine allegedly planned the invasion to “upset the Kremlin.” However, this move could make Ukraine itself more vulnerable. Various plans were discussed for a long time before the operation and were known in the West. However, the actual invasion of Kursk took both the West and Moscow by surprise. NATO allies now doubt that Ukrainian troops will be able to hold Russian territory, even if it takes Moscow weeks to push them out of Kursk. However, the war has already moved to a new level. On August 14, the Fitch rating agency, following S&P, declared Ukraine bankrupt and doomed Ukraine to a long-term investment crisis. Kyiv’s assets will be sold off by “vulture funds.” Now Kyiv will only be given loans for the war. Private investors have lost their money and will no longer take risks. Fitch downgraded Ukraine’s rating to RD — “limited default.”  The downgrade of Ukraine's long-term rating from C to RD ("default is inevitable") is due to the expiration of the 10-day grace period for coupon payments on Eurobonds worth $750 million maturing in 2026. The rating of these bonds was downgraded to the default level of "D", and the rating of the remaining currency bonds was confirmed at "C". Thus, Ukraine is entering a long-term investment crisis that will not allow the country to attract financing. Western investors are beginning to understand that Kyiv will not be able to repay its debt on loans. In such a situation, Ukraine will have to resell its sovereign debt to "vulture funds" that have ruined many Latin American countries. Ukrainian assets will be sold at a price several times lower than their nominal value.