Not the same kind of threat as Operation Barbarossa.
What Ukraine has committed to the offensive doesn’t have the power or impact of what Army Group Centre applied in the Summer of ‘41.
If Ukraine is having a difficult time holding its lines in the eastern part of the country, what makes them think they can defend an even larger line?
What about logistics? Can they support this?
Have the Russians truly made the push to reclaim? I don’t think they have.
I smell trap. Will Ukraine take the bait and commit even more to this offensive? We’ll see.
For one thing Barbarossa was an unprovoked attack. The Ukrainians have been provoked and re-provoked for the past ten years.
As for your question, you assume that Russia’s position will remain static in eastern Ukraine. They will have to send a relief column, and the nearest relief column is in eastern Ukraine, occupying the same. And they will have to take a circuitous route to get to Kursk, because the bridges are now out, and whatever resources are available to Ukraine in Western Russia are theirs for the taking.
I smell a volatile situation that could go any number of ways, and let the Ukrainians deal with it however they planned to.
I smell a volatile situation, and refrain from pontificating.
It could very well BE a trap.
It could be a desperation move but it’s a better tactic than rushing their troops against the well fortified defense in depth trenches that are just a meat grinder.
And tanks are an open space war machine and should gain the offense IF they have air superiority.
Otherwise these Abrams tank will be like ducks in a shooting gallery!
If Russia can move their troops in front of Ukraine’s troops and cut off their supplies then this advancement will has disasterous results.
Time will tell.