Economist reveals how Ukrainian army prepared for operation in Kursk region
The sign indicating the beginning of the Kursk region (photo: Getty Images)
The Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation in Russia's Kursk region began on the morning of August 6 and has been ongoing for nearly two weeks. However, the events could have unfolded differently, as Ukraine considered several options for the operation, reports The Economist.
According to The Economist, several scenarios were considered for targeting the weakest points in the Russian defensive line, including a strike in the Bryansk region, a strike in the Kursk region, a combined strike in both regions simultaneously, or an even larger-scale operation.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi kept his plans secret, sharing them only with a small group of generals and security staff. He discussed them face-to-face with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, without his staff present.
Most of the intelligence was gathered by the army's reconnaissance rather than being entrusted to the Main Intelligence Directorate. The intelligence agency was involved only at a later stage of the operation's preparation.
One source cited by The Economist claimed that Western allies were also unaware of Ukraine’s preparations. Limited communication to essential levels allowed the Ukrainian forces to commence their attack before the Russians realized what was happening.
The Economist reports that Syrskyi misled the enemy by concealing the arrival of the most experienced divisions involved in the fighting. Reinforcements were moved to the forests near the Kursk border under the pretense of defending against a supposed Russian attack on Sumy. Concurrently, Ukrainian media spread information about an imminent Russian invasion.
"The rotation happened about a week and a half before the start of the Kursk operation. The Russians continued to believe that we were simply defending the border," one source told The Economist.
Soldiers themselves began to suspect something serious was underway in early August when they were suddenly issued new equipment, including helmets with built-in headphones and new assault rifles. They conducted drills on mock-ups that, as they later realized, were Russian villages. The 80th Brigade began preparing for a second wave of the attack.
The Economist adds that Commander Syrskyi reserved most of the attacking forces for this second wave, which might be why Russia initially considered the breakthrough to be not very serious.
Destruction of bridges in the Kursk region
On August 16, Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge over the Seym River near the settlement of Glushkovo in the Kursk region.
On Sunday, August 18, Russian sources reported that Ukrainian troops had destroyed another bridge, this time near the village of Zvannoe.
Theoretically, the destruction of these two bridges, along with another in the Kursk region, could allow the Ukrainian army to establish a stronger foothold on a larger area of Russian territory, complicate Russian defenses, and disrupt their logistics.
