Commenting on the Ukrainian military operation in Kursk Oblast, General Mieczysław Bieniek assessed that it was “unbelievable in the history of wars that a country that was attacked by overwhelming forces, defending itself stubbornly for almost 2.5 years, is able to carry out such a spectacular offensive”. He also discussed Kiev's military and political goals.
Ukrainian Army Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrsky said on Tuesday that the territory in Kursk region in Russiawhich were occupied by the Armed Forces Ukraineincreased to 1,263 square kilometers, and the number of settlements controlled by them – to 93. The SZU operations in the Kursk region have been ongoing since August 6.
“It's unbelievable in the history of wars”
Former Deputy Strategic Commander NATO General Mieczysław Bieniek, Minister for Transformation, assessed on Wednesday that the attack led by Ukraine is an in-depth raid in compliance with all the rules of warfare – maneuver, artillery and drone support – although without aviation – the operation of reconnaissance groups and precise reconnaissance, bringing in reserves and second echelons, and destroying the moving columns constituting the enemy's reserves.
– It is unbelievable in the history of wars that a country that was attacked by overwhelming forces, defending itself stubbornly for almost 2.5 years, is able to carry out such a spectacular offensive – said the general.
Kiev's military and political goals
The advisor to the head of the Ministry of National Defense emphasized that Ukraine's military goal, which has certainly been achieved as part of the offensive, is to disorganize the Russians' preparations for a larger offensive in the direction of Pokrovsk and Kharkov.
In addition, the SZU created a buffer zone in the conquered territory, which would not allow this area to be used for shelling the Sumy Oblast and other Ukrainian lands, and also broke up the preparations of conscript groups who were taken prisoner.
24th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Donetsk Oblast PAP/EPA/PRESS SERVICE OF THE 24 MECHANIZED BRIGADE HANDOUT
According to General Bieniek, Ukraine's political goals were to draw the attention of world public opinion to the fact that the country was stubbornly defending itself, while at the same time showing the possibilities of transferring operations to enemy territory. Additionally, it showed the Russians what it looks like to wage war on their own territory.
What's next?
– Ukraine has engaged its two very well-trained brigades with battalion combat groups, artillery support and anti-aircraft units. At the moment they are preparing in some way to defend these occupied fortifications on the hills around the city of Sudzha – he assessed.
According to Gen. Bieniek, the Ukrainians “cannot afford” to lose the forces used for the offensive and “are probably preparing some way for their orderly withdrawal in the future.” In his opinion, they will not go further towards Kursk, because they have probably exhausted their possibilities for conducting offensive operations and have significantly extended their own logistic lines.
Main image source: PAP/EPA/PRESS SERVICE OF THE 24 MECHANIZED BRIGADE HANDOUT