Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky finally revealed the official strategic objective of the Kursk incursion.
Roughly two weeks ago, the Ukrainian army invaded Russian territory in Kursk, a region to the north of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. On Sunday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky finally revealed the overall strategic objective of the incursion as more and more Ukrainian soldiers poured into Russia.
The Wall Street Journal reported that over 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers are taking part in the incursion. Ukraine claims it has conquered 82 settlements in the Kursk region over an area of 1,150 sq/km. Russia confirmed part of Ukraine’s claimed advances.
The Russian response was hampered by Ukraine’s destruction of strategic bridges in the area. On Sunday, the destruction of a second bridge over the river Seym was confirmed by the Russian military.
According to the Institute of War, Russia will mount a counteroffensive to recapture the lost territory. “Russian forces will likely launch a concerted counteroffensive effort to retake territory in Kursk Oblast that Ukrainian forces have seized, although it is too early to assess when Russian forces will stop Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast completely and seize the battlefield initiative to launch such an effort,” the ISW said.
“This likely future Russian counteroffensive effort will very likely require Russia to commit even more manpower, equipment, and materiel to Kursk.”
Meanwhile, Russia claimed further advances on Ukraine’s eastern front, capturing additional villages in the Donetsk region. This could point to Russia’s refusal to move troops away from Ukraine to stop the Kursk attack, but it’s too early to assess it with certainty.
Why did Ukraine invade Russia
On Sunday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky finally broke the silence and revealed the strategic objective of the attack.
The primary objective is to create a buffer zone on Ukraine’s border, protecting the northern side of the country from additional attacks. “It is now our primary task in defensive operations overall: to destroy as much Russian war potential as possible and conduct maximum counteroffensive actions. This includes creating a buffer zone on the aggressor’s territory – our operation in the Kursk region,” Zelensky said.
External observers speculated Ukraine will use the conquered territory as a bargaining chip in future negotiations. That is, obviously, if the Ukrainian military manages to hold onto that territory.
This is the first time in history that a nuclear power is directly invaded on its mainland. Most analysts agree the incursion comes at great risk for Ukraine, especially as its military capabilities stretch thin. Whether the Ukrainian soldiers manage to hold off the eventual Russian counterattack remains an open question.
