The events that are unfolding in the Kursk region, where the Ukrainian military allegedly entered, have two components: a military one - an attempt to stretch the reserves of the Russian army and a political one - to discredit Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. This opinion was expressed by military expert Oleg Zhdanov in a commentary to UNN .
Details
According to Zhdanov, the military and political leadership of Ukraine has not officially announced any operations in the Kursk region, so it is not known which country's troops are on the territory of Russia.
Yes, military units have entered. There can be two components here: a military component in terms of trying to stretch the reserves of the Russian army. This is roughly a mirror image of what the Russian army tried to do near Kharkiv, stretching our reserves, but we managed and had reserves, free reserves, which we immediately transferred and put into action. Today, the Russian Federation has no free reserves, and where they will move them from is a very interesting question. I think that our General Staff is closely monitoring this event in anticipation of where they will come from (Russians - ed.), because it is necessary to withdraw not only one regiment, but also one brigade to localize the presence of troops in the Kursk region
Zhdanov calls the second component of the events in the Kursk region the political component.
The fact is that this is the first time in the history of Russia, in the modern history of Russia, that foreign troops are controlling the territory of Russia. In fact, for domestic consumption, for Putin, this is a defeat in the war. This has never happened before. I don't think the electorate will forgive him for such an event. You can see that in most of the videos, Russian citizens ask the first question: where is our army? Why isn't it protecting us? For Putin, this is a political defeat. And in the international arena, everyone saw that we have once again debunked the myth of the world's second army. That it can also lose and is incapable of fulfilling its main task - preserving the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian Federation
Commenting on the words of Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Presidential Office, who stated that "Ukraine's future negotiations with Russia will take place only if the war does not go according to their scenario," Zhdanov noted that the events in the Kursk region could serve "to form a stronger negotiating position.
If the negotiation process is launched, it will be a positive development for the formation of a stronger negotiating position. Strengthen the negotiating position
He also said that today the so-called Russian military commanders claimed that the Ukrainian armed forces had captured the town of Sudzha in Kursk region and assessed the possibility of further advancement through the territory of Russia.
For the second time, we are convinced that if you have crossed the border defense line, the defense line that they are allegedly building and allegedly mining, then you can go as far as Moscow and no one will stop you. The Russian command does not have a dense reserve
The expert also expressed an opinion about the possibility of troops entering the territory of the Russian Federation from other regions of Ukraine, for example, from Chernihiv.
Everything will depend on the availability (of forces and means - ed.) and tasks. I think that it may be inappropriate to create another section of the front. Although, if the forces and means allow it, why not
"Прорив кордону рф": у курській області введено надзвичайний стан07.08.24, 20:52
In addition, the expert compared the current events in the Kursk region with the raids of the RDC and the Svoboda Legion, noting that they are fundamentally different.
У міноборони рф визнали просування ЗСУ у двох районах курської області 08.08.24, 13:02
The fact is that the RDC's raids were reconnaissance by combat. And the task of the RDC was to engage in combat with Russian troops as much as possible to show their presence so that it could not be hidden. And they engaged in combat, demonstrating their presence on the territory of the Russian Federation. Now there is a maneuver war and the troops that have entered the Kursk region are using maneuver warfare. They do not engage in combat, they try to pass through the interposition space between the strongholds, surround these strongholds and then offer the military personnel in these positions to surrender
Recall
On August 6, in the morning, authorities in the Kursk region of Russia complained about attempts to "break through" into the region.
In the evening of August 6 , the Russian Defense Ministry announced a "breakthrough" of the border in the Kursk region with the support of allegedly 11 tanks and more than 20 armored combat vehicles and a mountain of "destroyed" equipment.
In the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, local Telegram channels published a video showing what a judge looks like today.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin reacted a day later to the events in the Kursk region of Russia.