The operation of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region, which became a real surprise for Moscow and its Western supporters, is already called one of the riskiest decisions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. This counterattack, which has been planned for several months, aims not only to weaken Russia's position, but also to strengthen Ukraine's influence on the international arena.
The Times writes about it.
As the publication writes, last week Ukrainian troops invaded the territory of Russia in the Kursk region, which caught Moscow by surprise. It also came as a surprise to Ukraine's Western partners, including Washington.
At first, when the operation began on Tuesday, it looked like another action by anti-Putin militias. However, already on Thursday it became clear that Kyiv itself is trying to strike a strategic counterattack against Russia.
"President Zelensky's personal fingerprints are everywhere. In Kyiv, it was a secret for many months that the president was pressuring his military leadership to launch a summer offensive," the newspaper writes.
Despite the problem of manpower and resources, the Ukrainian military leadership hesitated, but Zelensky, seeking to change the narrative that Ukraine was losing the war, insisted on the operation.
"Given the labor and resource problems in Ukraine, they hesitated. But Zelenskyy is desperately trying to change the narrative that Ukraine is losing the war," adds the media.
According to The Times, 6,000 to 10,000 troops were allocated for this operation. Command is willing to risk valuable soldiers and equipment to achieve success.
