Ukraine encircles Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, prepares for long fight – WSJ

The Wall Street Journal reports that Ukrainian troops say they are moving to encircle about 3,000 Russian troops surrounded against a river in Russia's Kursk Oblast as Ukraine destroys bridges and crossings.

Source: WSJ

Details: The Ukrainian military used US-supplied HIMARS missile systems and drones with explosive devices to attack the bridges.

Quote WSJ: "Ukraine’s 6 August incursion has embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin by seizing dozens of towns and villages across a territory as large as any Russia has captured in a year of offensives in Ukraine. Kyiv’s forces are now expanding their control along the border and striking Russian supply routes, as Moscow is ramping up counterattacks using massive glide bombs and troops rushed in from Ukraine and other parts of Russia."

Details: Mick Ryan, a military strategist and retired Australian Army Major General, believes that Ukraine is not seeking a deeper advance that would be easier to cut off in Russiaʼs Kursk Oblast but is instead increasing the breadth of its operation in Russia.

Quote from Mick Ryan: "They are holding more-defensible terrain that’s closer to Ukraine and easier to support."

At the same time, WSJ believes that regaining control of the entire Kursk Oblast may be a secondary goal for Russia compared to the more strategic one of advancing farther into Donetsk Oblast, which Putin has declared part of Russia.

Although Moscow mobilises around 25,000 soldiers a month, it suffers from a shortage of experienced military personnel to push the Ukrainians out.

Tatiana Stanovaya, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, believes that there is slight panic in Moscow over the situation in Kursk Oblast because Putin believes that Ukraine's offensive has little impact on his broader strategic calculus, which focuses on seizing all of Donetsk, causing the collapse of the Ukrainian government, and promote negotiations more beneficial to Russia.

Quote from Tatiana Stanovaya: "If he [Putin] doesn’t find a military solution, then [Ukrainian troops holding part of Russiaʼs Kursk Oblast – ed.] may go on for months or a year. And people in Moscow have got used to this idea." 

Quote from WSJ: "Still, the Ukrainian operation has dealt a blow to Putin’s pledge that the war he calls a ‘special military operation’ will be confined to Ukraine and have a minimal effect on the lives of ordinary Russians. Some of Ukraine’s military command have long argued that making Russians feel the war should be a key part of Kyiv’s strategy because it increases the pressure on Putin to end it."

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