In the early days of August, the Ukrainian military stationed in Bilopyl learned about the upcoming attack on the Kursk region of Russia. Yury Turlai, the platoon commander of the 103rd separate brigade of the TRO, with the call sign "Rudolf", shared in an interview with "UNIAN" how this news stunned the soldiers. According to him, at first everyone tried to guess the possible direction of the transfer - from Zaporizhzhia to New York (a village in Donetsk region). However, the decision to enter enemy territory surprised almost everyone. The fighters met this news with different emotions: from surprise to decisive readiness. Turlai noted with a smile that this desperate move was in keeping with the style of General Syrsky, known for his boldness. Maintaining morale, commanders prepared detailed instructions and routes, and assault units were tasked with being the first to move into position.
The first days of the operation
According to "Rudolf", already a day after the withdrawal, Ukrainian forces advanced 15 km deep into the Kursk region without losses or resistance. Russian troops did not expect such an attack, and thanks to the high-class work of Ukrainian intelligence, they managed to bypass enemy positions with minimal risks. The success of the operation was largely ensured by the professional work of intelligence, which found weak points in the enemy's defense. According to Turlay, the Russian positions were filled with conscripts who had just arrived for service and did not have enough experience to counter such a maneuver. Despite the initial success, the military understood that excessive optimism could be a harbinger of more difficult events.
According to Ivan Tymochka, head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Kursk operation became a demonstration of the limited capabilities of the Russian forces and their insecurity even on their own territory. He believes that Russia, despite claims of its power, has significant vulnerabilities in its defense, which this operation showed.
Expert opinion
Military expert Mykhailo Zhirokhov drew attention to the Russian side's use of outdated tactics, which only increases losses. The expert notes that the Russian forces behave as if the experience of the past years has not taught them anything in the new realities of war.
