“It’s part of the Russian military doctrine to reinforce success. They find an opening and press and pressure and divert resources,” said Mr Kastehelmi.

This is a view shared by John Foreman, a former British defence attache in Moscow and Kyiv, who also said that the Ukrainian army had spread itself too thin by invading Kursk.

“The Kursk incursion hasn’t distracted the Russians at all. If anything it’s a strategic Ukrainian mistake,” he said.

But Oleksandr Borodin, a spokesman for 3rd assault brigade, which is fighting on the borders of the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions, said his troops had experienced fewer Russian attacks due to poor weather.

“The worse the weather is, the harder it is for the enemy to use UAVs and aviation in general, and that’s why it’s easier for us now, when the weather is so unstable,” Mr Borodin said.

“There are constant infantry assaults, but they [the Russian military] don’t use mechanised units [armoured vehicles] as often because we have destroyed a lot of equipment.

“I cannot link this to the American elections but rather, during the Kursk operation they were more active here, and then they were using equipment. Now they are attacking less because of the weather.”