The real plan of the Kursk raid – The Time

Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are taking part in an incursion aimed at destabilizing Russia by exposing its weaknesses, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP Kiev’s strategy as the attack enters its sixth day. “We are on the offensive. The aim is to extend the enemy’s positions, inflict maximum casualties and destabilize the situation in Russia by showing that they are unable to protect their borders,” the source said.

The Russian military said about 1,000 Ukrainians took part in a cross-border incursion that began on Tuesday that took the Kremlin by surprise and allowed Ukrainian forces to penetrate Russian defense lines. Asked if the 1,000 figure was correct, the official said: “It is much more… Thousands.” After days of official silence, President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the offensive for the first time in his evening address on Saturday, saying Kiev was “bringing the war to the aggressor’s territory.” Despite facing shortages of men, equipment and weapons, Ukrainian forces broke through the border in what has been Kiev’s largest and most successful offensive so far in the conflict that began in February 2022. Troops advanced several kilometers, forcing the Russian military to send in reserves and extra equipment, although neither side has provided precise details on the forces involved. Russia has evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from the area, and Ukraine has also evacuated thousands of people from the Sumy region across the border. The operation has “significantly raised our morale, the morale of the Ukrainian military and society,” the Ukrainian official said. “This operation has shown that we can go on the offensive and move forward. It seems that the Russians have problems with coordination and preparation for action.”

But so far there has been little effect on the fighting in the east. “The situation is basically unchanged. Their pressure in the east continues, they are not withdrawing troops from the area,” the military expert said, adding only that “the intensity of Russian attacks has decreased a little.” The official specified that Kiev has no plans to annex the occupied areas. “There is no idea of ​​annexation. We are operating in strict accordance with international law,” he said, reiterating the difference with the alleged violations by Russian troops in the occupied territories. Asked whether capturing the Kursk nuclear power plant near the border was a goal, he assured that “there is no intention to create problems with nuclear safety. We can guarantee this.” The source finally assured that Ukraine’s allies were aware of Kiev’s initiative: “Judging by how actively Western weapons are being used, our Western partners played an indirect role in planning. Russia will eventually – the final prediction – succeed in stopping the Ukrainian forces in Kursk and respond with a large-scale missile attack, hitting the decision-making centers” in Ukraine.