Additional Coverage:
- Ukrainian soldiers suspected they would invade Russia when they got new rifles, but still thought it was a joke when the orders came through (newsbreak.com)
In a surprising turn of events, Ukrainian soldiers launched an unexpected offensive on Russia’s Kursk region, catching even the participating troops off-guard. According to a report by The Economist, many Ukrainian soldiers, including one named Serhiy from the 80th brigade, were initially in disbelief about the orders, thinking it was not serious due to the secretive nature of the plans.
The suspicion of an impending operation grew when Ukrainian troops were issued new equipment earlier in the month. Training exercises ensued, which included simulations of Russian villages, though the actual target of these exercises was not immediately apparent to the soldiers.
The secrecy surrounding the attack plans played a key role in the success of the operation, allowing Ukrainian forces to advance significantly and seize nearly 400 square miles of territory from Russia by surprise. This gain is notable given the recent challenges Ukraine faced, including delays in receiving over $60 billion in aid from the US due to political opposition, which was only resolved in April.
Russian officials, including retired major general and lawmaker Andrey Gurulyov, revealed in an interview that there was prior knowledge of Ukraine’s potential plans within Russia’s military ranks, but no preemptive actions were taken.
Details on the operation remain sparse as Ukraine’s defense ministry has not responded to inquiries for further comments.