Luke Coffey
While most of the fighting between Ukraine and Russia has occurred on the former’s land, significant military operations have also taken place in Russian territory.
In August last year, Ukraine surprised the world by launching a military offensive targeting Russia’s Kursk Oblast, a region located across the border from the sizable city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainian troops crossed into Kursk and caught Russian forces off guard. At the peak of their control, the Ukrainian forces held about 1,000 sq. km of Russian territory.
This week marks the six-month anniversary of the operation in Kursk. It is reported that Ukraine has launched another military operation there this week and has already made minor gains. The importance of the timing of such an operation cannot be overstated. As President Donald Trump settles into the White House and begins strategizing how he might bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, officials in Kyiv will undoubtedly want to approach any talks from a position of strength.
Many Western commentators were skeptical of Ukraine’s bold move into Kursk last year. The prevailing wisdom at the time suggested the troops and armored vehicles could have been better utilized along critical front lines inside Ukraine, where Russian forces continued to occupy Ukrainian territory.
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