Biden administration waits to see if "Zelenskyy's gamble" with Kursk operation pays off – WSJ

US officials have said that the Ukrainian military's goal in Russia’s Kursk Oblast is threefold: to force Russia to withdraw from Ukraine’s east; to destroy the narrative of battlefield defeat; and to improve Ukraine's position ahead of potential peace talks. So far, all three goals have been achieved, albeit to a limited extent.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Details: It was noted in the article that the US was initially confused as to why Ukraine had taken such a drastic step and what would happen next. "Eyebrows were raised very high," said a senior administration official.

Now, the administration is cautiously waiting to see if Zelenskyy's gamble will pay off. 

The WSJ noted that the US was giving Ukraine space to conduct the Kursk operation but was trying to avoid public involvement in the issue. 

From the White House and the Pentagon to the headquarters of US European Command in Germany, officials are watching with cautious optimism.

Quote from Chris Maier, the top Pentagon official for special operations: "I think at some level, it shows, once again, sometimes the fragility of the Russian military security that they were seemingly unprepared for this event."

Background: On 25 August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the advance of Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast and the capture of two more settlements.

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