Some of Ukraine’s top military commanders opposed President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plans to invade Russia’s Kursk Oblast, but he went through with the assault anyway, POLITICO reported on Tuesday.
The report, which cited Ukrainian military officials, said that Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the UK, opposed the offensive when Zelensky first broached the idea earlier this year.
Zaluzhny opposed the offensive because there was no clear second step once the border was breached. “He never got a clear answer from Zelensky,” one of the Ukrainian officials said. “He felt it was a gamble.”
Another Ukrainian officer who opposed the invasion was Emil Ishkulov, the former commander of Ukraine’s 80th Air Assault Brigade. He was removed from his position in July, which drew protests from senior Ukrainian military officials, who said they didn’t understand why Ishkulov was dismissed.
Ukrainian media reported at the time of his dismissal that Ishkulov was removed because he “opposed a task that didn’t correspond to the brigade’s strength.” Two senior Ukrainian military officials told POLITICO that Ishkulov opposed the Kursk invasion because he thought the brigade would be too exposed inside Russia and would suffer heavy casualties.
Russia recently began a counteroffensive in Kursk and has recaptured some villages. One purpose of the Ukrainian invasion was to distract Russia from the Donbas region, where Russian forces have been making steady gains. But that has failed as Russian troops continue to close in on the Donetsk city of Pokrovsk.
Another purpose of the invasion was to psychologically impact Russian civilians, a strategy that was praised by Richard Moore, the head of the British spy agency MI6, during a joint public appearance with CIA Director William Burns. Moore said the operation was “typically audacious and bold on the part of the Ukrainians, to try and change the game” and that it had “brought the war home to ordinary Russians.”
"Zelensky's plan" – no, it was a NATO plan.
heyy
Phase 1:
We steal all the underpants!
Phase 2:
?
Phase 3:
Victory!
i.e., Zelensky military genius. But he looks good.
Moore and Burns have completely disgraced themselves by appearing in public to try to paint lipstick on that pig.
As for our Little Napoleon? Well……..
Rest assured he is no Napoleon or Hitler. Maybe a little Mussolini minus the charisma.
of what little charisma he had to begin with
Read a little history and you’ll know Mussolini was a lady killer. Sometimes, literally.
Zelenskiyy is Napoleon, all right.
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE.
"Hey Putin, I see you're trying to protect ethnic Russians in our east & keep Ukraine neutral. Is that 'cause you think you're fat ? 'Cause you're not. You could totally drink 2% milk."
There's also a buttload of gangs at this school that want Zelenskiyy to join them.
He is no Mussolini, despite Mussolini's mannerisms many historians view him as being somewhat of an intellectual, being the best versed and best educated and that he actually studied Socialism and Communism and made his own socialistic branch with a nationalistic flavor, which Hitler later adopted.
Zelensky is none of them.
Mussolini was a puppet that needed to be rescued twice. The German military had to occupy because the Italian ones failed miserably.. Zelensky is a puppet that needed to be rescued and has foreign intel keeping him safe until he is discarded.
Well the Kursk invasion is part of Zelensky's victory plan. We don't know much about it yet, but that it consists of four 'basic points' as Zelensky stressed with establishment jumping jack Fareed Zakaria, and one extra to be discussed with Biden for after Ukraine defeated Russia. The plan is 'psychological' in nature and the Kursk invasion was one of the four basic points. So now we are being informed that the Ukrainian military are not exactly convinced of the victory part of the victory plan. Well, if you don't even need that input it must be a truly brilliant plan then.
With Trump having brilliant plans of his own, equally mysterious, at least it cannot be said there is a shortage of mysterious brilliant plans on the Western side. Isn't that reassuring?
if the victory plan includes the west letting us play with their toys and us getting more tanks they its basically already a lost cause
unles…..
no theres no hope
unles…
polska
Well, I don't think any observer of this war is pushing the hypothesis that the belief in wunderwaffen is likely to decline toward the end. But what is more likely and what we can see now taking shape is a Ukrainian version of a Dolchstoßlegende.
There is and there never was a way for Ukraine to win a war against Russia. That was never the plan. The plan was to use Ukraine as a battering ram to weaken Russia, as part of a multipronged strategy, militarily, diplomatically, and economically. I gave you (several times now) the blueprint jotted down for Rand. That plan failed, each separate facet of the plan failed, except perhaps the undermining of the EU, but that is almost exclusively the achievement of the EU leadership.
Ukraine is now left swallowing the 'disadvantageous peace' that was predicted as a distinct possibility. That was a gamble the US was willing to take. And Ukraine lost.
And hopefully the rest of Europe will see the peril with this and tactfully say a collective 'f*ck the USUK Empire'
Time for a change with the EU as well and that will happen naturally and we see that happening at individual state member level with border control and I'm all for that. The migrant crisis is the direct result of Empire instigated wars, regime changes, etc. and the EU are stuck cleaning up the mess made by the Empire.
I'm not at all sure of that. I don't see any way for progress for Europe. We can't even say that the system is broken, with respect to the expression of the political will of the European people, for there never was a system designed for that purpose. Even the pretense was weak to the point of non-existence.
Europe will be Baerbocking along and slowly but surely die.
Progress for the EU should start with border control, immigration policies, etc. all determined at the individual state level.
The people will force this.
So, basically undoing the main "advantages" of the EU's formation, then.
I don't know that "the people" will force that, but I do think far Right political movements in many EU member states will exploit such sentiments.
Why border controls? If ther'es any criminals, Europol or the country should handle that.
Idea: EU police force?
And I agree with immigration policies: Illegal immigration is bad
However, legal immigraiton isn't
The people of the EU like their free borders and stuff, and their one currency
VIVA EUROPA!
thr EU will live for decades to come, if not more than a century
theres a reason it hasn't died already; people like being united; people like the EU. I'm not just an EU l just genuinly think that EU is a great sign of what we can achieve together
don't let that distract from the fact that russia invaded us in a horrible war of conquest and control
Yeah, that didn't need to happen when the US would have agreed to neutrality of Ukraine. Or when the US sabotaged the Russia-Ukraine peace deal based on that demand, no US bases in Ukraine. A premature halt to the war was not a desired outcome.
The US has no interest in a Ukraine at peace with Russia. The point was to use Ukraine as a proxy against Russia and the US made absolutely sure to leave no alternative to Russia, the US would press on until Russia reacts.
the US won’t dictate our foreign policy for us
Right. Ukraine is a sovereign country. The US is providing you with hundreds of billions of dollars and all the weapons they can spare just because you are all so goddamn likeable, with your cute stahlhelms and nazi insignia.
we aren’t nazis xaxa
and even if we are somehow nazis
much less so than the rus’
none (in practice) of the parties in the Verkhovna Rada are Nazi or neo-fascist
andthe reason the USA and Europe is supporting us is because we’re being invaded because putin was told no
The problem is that Ukraine sees the problem with their persistent nazi infestation as cosmetic in nature, that it would be manageable by hiding them from view for international audiences. Which doesn't really work because guess what? Nazi's are really, really proud to be Nazi's, after all they are the master race n'est-ce pas? So why hide?
it is cometic in nature [that we’re nazis]
You aren't. But many of your leaders, AND your best remaining soldiers, absolutely ARE. They're fighting for THEIR lives more'n anyone else's.
And if they win, exactly like the mujahadeen & other "freedom fighters", they will demand what they're "owed". Which will most likely be, significant (if not total) political power. Their survival and their victory would be evidence (to them) that they are superior and Chosen to lead some bulls**t New Aryan Rising in Ukraine.
Anyone who thinks these neo-Nazis, after this war, will just go home quietly saying "Hey, happy to help, want nothing in return" DOES NOT understand the history of human nature or the psychology of zealots.
Not so. Here is a truth you should understand: the more outsiders see of you and your fellow Ukrainians the less attractive you become. You haven't won any friends on this site. To know you is to despise you.
well thats not very anti-war
Certainly not all Ukrainians are nazi's. But like always denying the problem is not a solution to the problem. And if neonazi's gaining hold on actual power in your country is your problem ignoring it is really a very, very bad idea.
Its like 5-10%, not more than in any other country (particularly Russia)
Yes, it would be bad if they took power, however
The US is giving Ukraine money and weapons and other things so that Ukrainians can fight Russia. It is not because the US thinks you are good people or that your cause is just. Ukraine is being used to fight Russia. This war is between the US and Russia. Ukraine and Ukrainians are just something to use, to expend and throw away, to achieve the US' goal of defeating Russia. When Ukraine is no longer useful Ukrainians will be tossed onto the garbage heap.
America doesn't care about you. Your only purpose now is to die for American policy goals. When you and your fellow Ukrainians are dead, America will own Ukraine. If you live, America will own Ukraine. You think you are fighting for Ukraine? You are fighting to give Ukraine to America.
You and your fellow Ukrainians are fools.
Not for you. TO you.
It has been for the last two and a half decades, but I suspect that soon you'll be correct.
lemme guess what you mean by that
1. the Rus will
2. There will be no foreign policy to dictate because we will be dead
3. States can’t decide their own foreign policy
4. You mean that in earnest
I think 1-3 are what you probably mean
They have been and will continue to dictate Ukraine's foreign policy. How daft are you?
uhmm what does daft mean I don’t speak college level english just yet
*googles*
oh
I AM NOT DAFT
NOT MORE SO THAN ANYONE ELSE ON THIS SITE AT LEAST
You are if you think Ukraine is in control of its foreign policy.
"the US won't dictate our foreign policy for us"
You have a lot to learn young man.
"The US has no interest in a Ukraine at peace with Russia. The point was to use Ukraine as a proxy against Russia and the US made absolutely sure to leave no alternative to Russia, the US would press on until Russia reacts."
Reminds me how instrumental and expeditious the Empire was in accelerating the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. In parallel, the Bush admin. passing in Congress the 1991 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. IE: any part of Yugoslavia failing to declare independence within 6 months would lose US financial support. In addition, the US demanded that separate elections in each one of the 6 YU republics mandating US State Department approval of the electoral procedures and actual results.
The fact is that the Empire convinced the Ukrainians to engage in this war in hope of the 'liberated Ukraine' pipedream.
Please note that the Empire's Foreign Policy is culturally and historically ignorant regarding European matters. Plain and simple, they do not give a f*ck for any European, Slavs in particular. The Empire just wants to have the whole pie they couldn't get after 1945. That is their global model; they are an Empire after all.
Ukraine was directed and assisted in preparing for an eventual conflict from 2014 under the guise of the Minsk Accords. We all know what Chancellor Merkel revealed.
Ukraine had a choice, and, unfortunately, made the wrong decision.
Ukraine had 8 years to prepare, and by all accounts, much more preparation was required and an understanding of the concept of Total War that Russia understands quite well. See note below.
Too bad the Empire doesn't.
Note: Russia probably thought the SMO would have been done long ago, but now realizes things aren't so easy. Looks like they will be prepared for mass mobilization as required.
"…Russia probably thought the SMO would have been done long ago, but now realizes things aren't so easy."
I think what the Russian Federation discovered, is that NATO is just the wrong combination of (gutsy + stupid) and actually DID openly arm Kiev against a world nuclear power. And that the West thinks President Putin is a pushover.
I agree with that as well
Polska?
No.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/polish-minister-visiting-kyiv-calls-end-benefits-ukrainian-men-europe-2024-09-14/
22% of 4.1M = 902,000 Ukrainian men in Poland receiving EU benefits while their countrymen are dying.
Poland will not be sending troops to Ukraine.
yes… cutting it off
so they come home to fight……………..
Do you honestly think any of those men will come back home to fight?
probabaly not sadly
I'm GLAD they won't. Like you, they'll survive this horses**t, and I'm glad for that.
oh darn
"…said that Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the UK, opposed the offensive when Zelensky first broached the idea earlier this year."
I imagine the conversation was,
"You see, mein Fuhrer…excuse me, 'MISTER PRESIDENT 4 Life'…invading Russia from the west has never, ever worked out for much better & smarter armies or military commanders than you."
there will be elections my god
Says who ?
I do mean that sincerely.
Says who ? The people with the power to hold elections are the ones kept in power because there aren’t elections. Who says, “Yeah, I should give up this unending power.” ??
after the war is over
we aren’t extending the war the Rus are
I am highly skeptical that Ukraine has “80” “Air Assault Brigades”
we do
Duh. Anyone with an ounce of military sense would have said the same thing; which is why the whole coterie of US "professional military experts" support it – they're all imbeciles. Some amateurs claim this is similar to the German gamble of the Ardennes, but that's too simplistic; the Ardennes at least had an objective behind it, no matter how far fetched; this was always an excursion to nowhere.
This was simply Zelensky's attempt to make a splash in the headlines, divert observers away from the Donbas crisis, and convince his supporters that Ukraine still has a chance; another Krynky, but on a bigger scale. 500 square miles of potato fields, woods, and tiny hamlets, which he can't hold and which has led to very heavy losses amongst his remaining armor.
https://korybko.substack.com/p/why-wont-russia-destroy-ukraines
Why Won’t Russia Destroy Ukraine’s Bridges Across The Dnieper?
If Russia is "inviting" fellow Slavs and Nazis to perform suicidal acts in Russia and Novorossiya, it seems unwise to burn bridges.
Russia may require these patent structures in celebratory mode within two years.
Go into western Ukraine, young Russian man and woman!
uhm
no
By the end of this week Ukraine will have suffered 15,000 casualties in Kursk, dead and wounded. These are Ukraine's last well-equipped and well-trained reserves. But the Russians focus on destroying vehicles, as they can now do so fully. Normally it is moderately easy to pull vehicles back for repairs, but it's difficult for the Ukrainians in their exposed positions on the narrow roads in Kursk.
The Russians also block Ukrainian communications in Kursk completely now, so they can't communicate or defend against drones. While the Russians themselves have developed a new drones controlled by fiber optics, releasing a long optic cable as it goes.
There have been an increased use of glide bombs in Kursk last week and this week, as the Russians have detected and pinned down the Ukrainians.
Far from "unsettling the Russians" or whatever, the attack on Kursk has strengthened the Russian determination, who can now show that the Ukrainians would not be satisfied with invading all of Donbass, but have their sights on Russia itself.
The attack on Kursk has also enraged the Chinese. Ukraine's foreign minister was there, talking about peace negotiations, right before the Kursk attack. They tricked the Chinese. The pressure on Russia from China and India to settle things quickly has now disappeared.
Meanwhile in Donbass, the Russian advance toward Pokrovsk sped up after Zelensky pulled out the most well-equipped and well-trained reserves for his Kursk headline-capturing adventure. The Ukrainians say that when they used to have five soldiers in a position, they now have two. They are even using mechanics and chefs in the trenches.
A Ukrainian commander says that the conscripts near Pokrovsk go to the trenches once, but don't return after the first battle. They desert, or simply refuse to go, or they find a way to ask for a transfer from the frontline. The Russian artillery has an enormous advantage, with 10-20 times more shells than the Ukrainians.
Pokrovsk provides supplies to Ukraine's occupation throughout south-western Donbass. They get the supplies and new conscripts via the highway and railroad from Dnipro, by the Dniepr river. Both Ukrainians and Russians note that to the west of Pokrovsk the land is open all the way to the river, allowing the Russians great mobility.
South of Pokrovsk the Russians are encircling the height on which Vuhledar is located. They have taken a nearby mine, which was used as a fortification, and cut off that road. They hold two roads to Vuhledar and will soon have operative control of the third, which will force the occupiers in Vuhledar to surrender. They should have pulled out long ago, but Zelensky refuses to let soldiers retreat.
There are a rapidly growing number of videos of Russian troops acquiring completely intact and functional Stryker, Bradley, and other armored vehicles, as troops run them into ditches and abandon them as soon as they find they're targeted.
eating up that propoganda like putins c**k