a military analyst for the German newspaper Bild, urged “not to be fooled” about the operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Kursk region. Amid active discussions about the capabilities of Ukrainian troops on Russian territory, Röpke expressed doubts about Kyiv’s long-term strategy.
“Despite all the euphoria, I still don’t understand the Ukrainian strategy. If you really have 5,000 fresh soldiers plus equipment, why not break through the Russian front in Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk or Zaporizhia?” he asks.
“Let’s not kid ourselves. Of course, Ukraine will have to retreat from Russia. Maybe not immediately, but definitely in the context of peace negotiations and under international pressure. In this regard, the strategy of conquering the Russian region remains extremely risky. And we hope that this is just a diversionary maneuver before the liberation of the south and east of Ukraine,” said Röpke.
