KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – Five months after a shocking attack on Russia, Ukraine's military is bloodied and demoralized by the growing risk of defeat in Kursk. While this is an area that they want to protect at all costs, there are also areas that are questioning the value of the attack. all.
The fighting is so intense that some Ukrainian military commanders are unable to evacuate the dead. Delayed communications and ill-timed tactics cost lives and left the military with little means to fight back, seven front-line soldiers and commanders told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation. Ta.
Since being caught unawares by Ukraine's surprise invasion, Russia has amassed more than 50,000 troops in the region, including soldiers from its ally North Korea. Although exact figures are difficult to come by, Moscow's counterattack left thousands of people dead and injured, and overly tense Ukrainians captured 40% of Kursk's 984 square kilometers (380 square miles) in August. I lost more than that.
A full-scale invasion three years ago left Russia in control of one-fifth of Ukraine, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hoped that by seizing Kursk he would force Russia to negotiate an end to the war. He hinted that he was. But five Ukrainian and Western officials in Kiev, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters freely, said the gamble in Kursk weakened the entire 1,000-kilometre (1,000-kilometre) front and threatened to push Ukraine further in the east. He said he was concerned that he was losing valuable ground. .
“As the saying goes, we hit a hornet's nest. We created a new hotspot,” said Major Stepan Rutsiv of the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade.
Army Chief Oleksandr Shirushkyi said Ukraine launched the operation after authorities determined that Russia was about to launch a new offensive into northeastern Ukraine.
It began on August 5 with orders to evacuate Ukraine's Sumy region in preparation for a nine-day raid to surprise the enemy. The profession has become a welcome one for Ukrainians as the small country gains influence and embarrasses Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One company commander gathered his men together and said, The whole world will know about us because nothing like this has been done since World War II.
In private, he was less sure.
“It seemed crazy,” he said. “I didn't understand why.”
Shocked by the success achieved largely by catching the Russians by surprise, the Ukrainians were ordered to go beyond their original mission and advance to the town of Korenevo, 25 kilometers (16 miles) into Russia. Ta. It was one of the first places the Russian army counterattacked.
By early November, the Russians began rapidly regaining territory. Once in awe of what they had accomplished, the military's opinion is changing as they come to terms with their losses. The company commander stated that half of his troops were killed or wounded.
Some front-line commanders say the situation is dire, morale is low and troops are questioning command decisions and even the purpose of occupying Kursk.
Another commander said some of the orders his subordinates received did not reflect reality due to communication delays. He said there would be delays, especially if territory is lost to Russian forces.
“They don't understand where our side is, where the enemy is, what is under our control and what is not,” he said. “They don't understand the operational situation, so we're acting on our own judgment.”
One platoon commander said his superiors have repeatedly turned down requests to reposition his troops for protection because they know their men can't hold the line.
“The last ones who survive will end up being MIA,” he said. He also said he knew of at least 20 Ukrainian soldiers whose bodies had been abandoned in the past four months because fighting was too intense to evacuate without further casualties. .
Ukrainian soldiers said they were unprepared for Russia's aggressive response in Kursk and could not fight back or retreat.
“We have no other choice. We fight here because they won't stop if we just pull back to the border. They will keep moving forward,” said one of the drone squadron commanders. .
The Associated Press reached out to Ukraine's General Staff for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.
The Ukrainian military says U.S. long-range weapons are slowing Russia's advance, and that the North Korean soldiers involved in the fighting last month lack combat discipline and often operate in large groups outdoors. It is an easy target for cannon fire.
President Zelenskyy said on Monday that 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded. But they appear to have learned from their mistakes by becoming more adept at camouflaging near forest lines, the soldiers added.
Last week, one clash occurred near the Vorontsovo district, a forested area between the villages of Kremenne and Vorontsovo.
Until last week, the region was under Ukrainian control. Some of it was lost to Russian forces this week, leaving the Ukrainian military worried it could reach a key logistics route.
Witnessing losses on the front in the eastern region known as Donbass, where Russia is closing down key supply points, some soldiers are questioning whether Kursk was worth it.
“All the military can think now is that Donbass was simply sold,” said the platoon leader. “How much does it cost?”
