US concerned for Ukraine's Kursk assault as Russia prepares counterattack

ABC via Yahoo ^ | August 21st, 2024 | MATT SEYLER

[Mariner]

Ukrainian forces have yet to set up defensive lines as they continue their operation into the Kursk region of Russia, a U.S. official told ABC News on Wednesday.

While this might reflect Ukrainian confidence in further success for the offensive, there is concern among some American officials that failure to dig in soon could leave its troops vulnerable to a coming Russian counterattack.

"Russia didn't take it very serious at first," the U.S. official said. On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. had seen only a "small number" of Russian forces heading to Kursk.

But the U.S. now sees a significant second wave of Russian troops preparing to reinforce the region, coming from positions in both Ukraine and Russia, according to the official, who said some units could arrive within days, with the majority of reinforcements expected within two weeks.

It could be a costly tradeoff for Ukraine to seek incremental gains in the region at the expense of shoring up its defenses, according to Mark Cancian, former Marine colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

[Mariner]

They are going to pack up and go home, right after declaring a "major victory".

Meanwhile Russia continues to turn entire cities to rubble just 150 miles to the south. Slow, but inexorable.

[ClearCase_guy]

I’ve never understood why Ukraine would invade Russia — other than maybe a vague hope that it would be a psychological blow that would suddenly make Russia sue for peace. Never seemed likely and now even less so.

[Williams]

My impression is that both sides fail to take maximum advantage of opportunities.

Zelensky even said if they can strike deep in Russia, they won’t need a Kursk offensive.

Seems like he doesn’t understand the value of opening a new front in Russia.

[blueunicorn6]

Now that Biden is out, lots of things are changing.

[elpadre]

Having read from several sources it appears the Ukrainians Kursk attack was with the intention of having Russia use their troops advancing in Ukraine be diverted to Kursk. That didn’t happen and Russia continues it’s slow methodical forward progress capturing one town after another. Russia used it’s conscripts who apparently were in reserve and training, to stop the Ukrainian advance.

What I haven’t heard anything about is the Ukrainian vulnerability for encirclement. Could it end up being a trap?

[Mariner]

“Seems like he doesn’t understand the value of opening a new front in Russia.”

What is the value?

They have not diverted enough forces from Donetsk to make a difference there, they have not captured a militarily significant target...and they don’t have enough resources to sustain themselves in Russia.

Meanwhile Russia is melting cities to the south.

[blitz128]

Looks like Ukraine’s goal is setting up positions largely behind rivers and other natural features

Personally I don’t think Russia has the forces to repel the “incursion “without pulling troops and equipment from other fronts.

Considering their tactic of trading solders and equipment at high levels for small territorial gains, this is not possible if they pull troops.

The gains they are making have not hit main defensive fortifications yet and the towns they want to take are bigger than bakmut by about half.

I saw one analysis saying at this rate they will take these towns in 7 years

We will see

[Williams]

That would be the value.

[ArcadeQuarters]

Not to worry. We will fight to the last drop of Ukrainian blood!

[HombreSecreto]

Battle of the Bulgski

[Uncle Lonny]

Reminds me when the ARVN troops attempted to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos in 71 with US air support. It ended in disaster.

[adorno]

Russia continues to turn entire cities to rubble just 150 miles to the south. Slow, but inexorable.

What color outfit do you wear while cheer-leading for Russia?

Do you jump high with every building Russia turns into rubble? Do you yell real loud and dance with great joy every time a Ukrainian gets blown up?

[adorno]

Hasn’t Russia been preparing for a counter-offensive for about 3 weeks now? And still nothing. Come on Putin, you’re letting the FR cheer-leaders down.

[Mariner]

“Do you jump high with every building Russia turns into rubble? Do you yell real loud and dance with great joy every time a Ukrainian gets blown up? “

Of course, as both of those further the interests of the American people.

As opposed to the Ukrainian people...and their traitorous American allies.

[rfp1234]

FAFO in action.

[MinorityRepublican]

there is concern among some American officials that failure to dig in soon could leave its troops vulnerable to a coming Russian counterattack.

I wonder what is their strategy?

Wagner Group almost took Moscow last year. Which is not possible for the Ukrainians because at that point, Putin will use nuclear weapons to save the Capitol.

[BEJ]

I believe the Ukrainians could have been more successful had they done the Kursk operation at the beginning of the Great Summer Offensive last year. They would have captured the Nuclear Power Plant, they would have outflanked the deep defense lines (The Surovikin Line) Russians had constructed in Eastern Ukraine, they would have had incredible amounts of men and machines and, with the blessing of NATO and the West, they may have gone all the way to Moscow. Look how close Prigozen got to Moscow! The Ukrainians would have probably done what other conquerors failed to do. But it is too late in the day for such a rational offensive. They could have imitated the German Wehrmacht conquering France by going around the Maginot Line (similar to the Russian eastern defense lines). It could have been a Ukrainian Blitzkrieg. But as it is, they are imitating Germans losing at the end of WWII. They are acting like the desperate Germans during the Battle of the Bulge, hoping to reach a strategic point (the Power Plant) and turn things around. They are even acting like the Germans at the Battle of Kursk by facing vast numbers of Russians and having bulky, cumbersome tanks — tanks that were once thought to be technically superior to the Russian tanks. So Ukraine had its chance to win at the beginning of their offensive, but they blew it. Had the Ukrainians advanced like the Germans conquering France, they could have got their lands back.

[ansel12]

Incredible.

[McGruff]

It was a stupid stunt that's going to get alot of Ukraine's forces killed.

[adorno]

Of course, as both of those further the interests of the American people.

Explain how Russia killing innocent women and children furthers the interests of the American people. Explain how Russia invading Ukraine and hoping to make it part of a larger Russian federation helps the American people.

As opposed to the Ukrainian people...and their traitorous American allies.

So, the U.S. and Europeans are the aggressors and the traitor and the people causing the destruction of Ukraine, and the deaths of millions of men, women and children in Ukraine?

And PUtin is the innocent party in all of this?

In years past, when common sense and logic won the day, people like you would be investigated and prosecuted and imprisoned and maybe even executed, for being the actual traitors who aided and abetted our enemies.

If there is someone to investigate and hold accountable for the corruption in Ukraine, let all that happen after the war, but there is NOTHING AT ALL that justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the devastation they're causing and the millions of murders they are committing.

Putin is at the level of a Hitler and he should be hunted down and prosecuted for war crimes and executed like Saddam Hussein; and anybody that supports that kind of animal should also have to pay the consequences.