Additional Coverage:
- Russia is going to have a tough time trying to take Kursk back from Ukraine, says CIA deputy director (newsbreak.com)
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen recently indicated that Russian forces will face a challenging battle in their efforts to retake the Kursk region from Ukraine. Cohen made these remarks at the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington.
On August 6, a surprise Ukrainian offensive in Kursk caught Russian forces unprepared, leading to significant territorial gains for Ukraine. Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that, within just a few days, Ukraine had captured nearly 400 square miles of territory, an area equivalent to Russia’s territorial acquisitions from Ukraine earlier this year.
Cohen suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to launch a counteroffensive to recover the lost territory, but stressed that the endeavor would be a tough one for Russian forces. He also pointed out the additional challenges faced by Putin, including managing the implications of having a battlefront within Russian borders and handling the domestic fallout from the loss of territory.
Recent developments have shown that Russia is mobilizing better-equipped troops to respond to the situation. However, this contrasts with earlier stages of the incursion, where many Russian soldiers reportedly surrendered to the incoming Ukrainian forces.
Despite gains in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, Cohen mentioned these came at a significant resource cost to Russia and ultimately did not alter the strategic balance.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to requests for comment on these developments.