U.S. officials have advised Ukraine to refrain from major offensive operations on the southern or eastern fronts this year because of strong Russian defenses, the New York Times reported. Washington’s advice appears to have been one of the main reasons for Kyiv’s strategic choices in recent military actions.
“In advancing at Kursk, the Ukrainians heeded American advice: instead of fighting in fortified positions, go where there is no enemy to secure strategically important territory. How strategic this onslaught will prove to be, only time will tell,” writes the NYT.
At the same time, the newspaper notes that even if Russian troops are transferred from Donbas to the Kursk region, Ukraine is unlikely to have enough manpower to achieve success in the east.
“Ukraine itself used a significant number of troops at Kursk and may not have sufficient reserves,” the article says.
