Kiev wants to assert the short-lived “Ukrainian People’s Republic’s” claims to modern-day Russian territory that Zelensky tacitly revived through a decree in January that most observers missed.
"...a larger Ukrainian offensive if Kiev expands the scope of its attack to include Kursk’s two neighboring regions like some speculate that it’s considering."
You MUST be joking?! Who on earth are these 'some' you keep company with or waste your time considering? They can't be adults?!
Tell your kiddie-friends they would need real people, like the ones who've died already, or even the ones being dropped like swarms of flies braving an insecticide storm being sprayed down on them in Russia now. You might like to add foreign mercenaries, however much they're paid, are NOT exempt. Pray tell: did these 'some who speculate' propose just who might use real guns and tanks and things, like adults do, to 'expand the scope of attack to include...' Anything?
OK, the Americans may give them all the toys they like but someone has to eventually use them. Once they've spent all their human resources... Even the English SAS, hiding under nearby rocks, like they do, will get tired of seeing their big-butch buddy-friends die and go home eventually. WHO do they suggest might actually DO this expanding of scope? The Americans themselves? Yeah, right!
I also can't recall the exact posts, but I believe that Rybar and Two Medals on Telegram were drawing attention to this too, plus there are the new Ukrainian-Belarusian border tensions.
Thank you, Andrew for an interesting peek at some of the irredentism still relevant in relation to this tragic war. I want to disagree with you on one important point.
I am convinced that the Kursk incursion is closely coordinated with the American election cycle. Trump has a "peace plan", so he says and so he will argue at the first Presidential debate on September 10th. Trump's claim that he will end the fighting "even before he is Inaugurated" will be a powerful argument against the Biden-Harris policy of arming Ukraine until Ukrainian "victory". But Trump's "peace plan" can be spun as pro-Kremlin appeasement if Ukraine can boast it has control of seized Russian territory. Harris will claim this seized Russian territory as evidence that Ukraine is indeed "wining", or at least not doomed to eventual defeat. She will claim the Biden-Harris war policy is working and that Trump's peace rhetoric is simply appeasement.
It is absolutely critical that Russia regains absolute control of its territory to deprive the war party of this powerful rhetorical weapon. This must happen soon, even if the tempo on other fronts must be slackened for the time being.
I consider it a military planning flaws for not reinforcing border area from Belarus border to northern Luhansk (Lugansk ?). There may be a political agreement between Russia and CIA,, but one always has to consider enemy's capabilities in addition to his intention. I had been fooled by Ukraine's (and NATO's) disinformation campaign to disregard the prospect of a Ukrainian offensive. But still, I thought at least some of the undeployed troops were defending the borders. In retrospect, such defensive aggregations may invite Ukraine attacks hence cannot be thick enough to prevent initial break through. But camouflage and defense works would also be a good practice for the troop in the "cold sectors". After all, war is war. Lyndon Johnson wanted to keep Vietnam War going while promoting his "great society" at home, but could not do it.
"...a larger Ukrainian offensive if Kiev expands the scope of its attack to include Kursk’s two neighboring regions like some speculate that it’s considering."
You MUST be joking?! Who on earth are these 'some' you keep company with or waste your time considering? They can't be adults?!
Tell your kiddie-friends they would need real people, like the ones who've died already, or even the ones being dropped like swarms of flies braving an insecticide storm being sprayed down on them in Russia now. You might like to add foreign mercenaries, however much they're paid, are NOT exempt. Pray tell: did these 'some who speculate' propose just who might use real guns and tanks and things, like adults do, to 'expand the scope of attack to include...' Anything?
OK, the Americans may give them all the toys they like but someone has to eventually use them. Once they've spent all their human resources... Even the English SAS, hiding under nearby rocks, like they do, will get tired of seeing their big-butch buddy-friends die and go home eventually. WHO do they suggest might actually DO this expanding of scope? The Americans themselves? Yeah, right!
Russia isn't taking any chances risking more cross-border offensives.
Here's the evidence:
Massive evacuations from Belgorod Region:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/12/russia-evacuates-belgorod-district-as-it-eyes-ukrainian-cross-border-threat
Comparatively lower-scale ones from part of Kursk Region:
https://www.rt.com/russia/602486-kursk-district-evacuation-ukraine-incursion/
Putin warning that Bryansk Region can't take its calmness for granted:
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/74856#sel=26:38:Wr3,26:60:323
I also can't recall the exact posts, but I believe that Rybar and Two Medals on Telegram were drawing attention to this too, plus there are the new Ukrainian-Belarusian border tensions.
Yeah, I got that; heard Putin on the radio last night (earlier this morning).
Obviously, it's a great relief to learn they're so cautiously thinking ahead.
I missed Rybar, probably spending too much time paying too much attention to Solovyov('s friends — Вести ФМ).
I'm sorry to have snapped (not at you) so impulsively, probably didn't get enough sleep last night.
No worries, it's okay, I also haven't been sleeping the best lately for some reason lol
Shouldn't be much longer now!
I fear that Zelensky's attacks of Nuclear Facilities are the US Proxy Way to Nuke Russia
Thank you, Andrew for an interesting peek at some of the irredentism still relevant in relation to this tragic war. I want to disagree with you on one important point.
I am convinced that the Kursk incursion is closely coordinated with the American election cycle. Trump has a "peace plan", so he says and so he will argue at the first Presidential debate on September 10th. Trump's claim that he will end the fighting "even before he is Inaugurated" will be a powerful argument against the Biden-Harris policy of arming Ukraine until Ukrainian "victory". But Trump's "peace plan" can be spun as pro-Kremlin appeasement if Ukraine can boast it has control of seized Russian territory. Harris will claim this seized Russian territory as evidence that Ukraine is indeed "wining", or at least not doomed to eventual defeat. She will claim the Biden-Harris war policy is working and that Trump's peace rhetoric is simply appeasement.
It is absolutely critical that Russia regains absolute control of its territory to deprive the war party of this powerful rhetorical weapon. This must happen soon, even if the tempo on other fronts must be slackened for the time being.
Nobody cares about short lived republics. No one talks about Bavarian SSR
I consider it a military planning flaws for not reinforcing border area from Belarus border to northern Luhansk (Lugansk ?). There may be a political agreement between Russia and CIA,, but one always has to consider enemy's capabilities in addition to his intention. I had been fooled by Ukraine's (and NATO's) disinformation campaign to disregard the prospect of a Ukrainian offensive. But still, I thought at least some of the undeployed troops were defending the borders. In retrospect, such defensive aggregations may invite Ukraine attacks hence cannot be thick enough to prevent initial break through. But camouflage and defense works would also be a good practice for the troop in the "cold sectors". After all, war is war. Lyndon Johnson wanted to keep Vietnam War going while promoting his "great society" at home, but could not do it.