Plans for Ukraine’s surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, launched in early August, sparked objections from some of the country’s military leadership but later energized frontline troops, according to Politico sources.

Previously, Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukraine had seized nearly 1,000 km² of territory inside Russia, compelling the Kremlin to redeploy experienced troops from Ukraine to Kursk. However, concerns still linger about the impact of the Kursk offensive on other fronts, particularly in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian forces continue to make tactical advances, especially around Pokrovsk, a critical logistical hub for Ukraine.

The offensive, which marks the first invasion of Russian territory since World War II, has faced opposition from some of Ukraine’s top army commanders. Two high-ranking Ukrainian military officials, speaking anonymously to Politico, revealed that former armed forces commander Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi and Emil Ishkulov, then commander of Ukraine’s 80th Air Assault Brigade, were among those who initially opposed the operation.

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially suggested the offensive earlier this year and advocated for it, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi reportedly raised concerns about the long-term strategy of the operation.

The general reportedly asked, “Once you have the bridgehead, what then?” And the anonymous official says that “He never got a clear answer from Zelenskyy” and “felt it was a gamble.”

Zelenskyy dismissed Zaluzhnyi this February, replacing him with Oleksandr Syrskyi. Zaluzhnyi was appointed Ukraine’s ambassador to London.

Colonel Ishkulov, who was dismissed in July despite protests from high-ranking officers who supported his retention, reportedly opposed the Kursk operation, citing concerns over his brigade’s vulnerability and the potential for high casualties within Russian territory.

Despite these high-level objections, frontline troops have embraced the offensive with enthusiasm. Sergei, a 19-year-old Ukrainian paratrooper interviewed by Politico under a pseudonym, described feeling “exhilarated” and “a part of history” when the attack order came.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has defended the operation, suggesting it has forced Russia to shift resources away from other fronts, particularly in Donetsk. Speaking at the annual Yalta European Strategy conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy claimed the situation in Donetsk is “normalizing,” though he conceded it remained difficult.

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