NEW YORK, August 29. /TASS/. The Ukrainian attack on Russia's Kursk Region has failed to achieve its goal if its intention was to divert Russian forces from the main front, Forbes said.
"One generous reading of Ukrainian strategy in Kursk is that the invasion was meant to draw Russian regiments away from the east, relieving the pressure on Pokrovsk (Ukrainian name of the town of Krasnoarmeysk). In that sense, the invasion of Kursk may have been a diversion. If so, it failed," the magazine said. It also pointed out that Moscow seems to have moved only a small number of battalions to defend the Kursk Region. According to Forbes, "the offensive in the Kursk region not only failed to prompt the redeployment of some Russian forces from Donetsk, but also exacerbated the shortage of [Ukrainian] personnel in the region." The magazine emphasized that "the six or so Ukrainian brigades defending Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) are outnumbered around two-to-one" and "they may have no choice but to surrender" the city soon.
Forbes said that the scale of the operation indicates that the Ukrainian attack was likely a diversionary tactic rather than the start of a full-scale invasion. The magazine underscored that Ukraine may be preparing a larger-scale invasion in the future. It emphasized that Ukrainian troops, who are far from their main supply bases, may face logistical difficulties if they try to launch an offensive deep into Russian territory.
The Ukrainian armed forces attacked Russia’s Kursk Region on August 6. Residents of border areas are being evacuated to safe territories. According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, a total of 197 temporary shelters has been set up in 28 regions of the country. More than 11,500 people, including over 3,500 children, are staying in them.
According to the Defense Ministry, Kiev has lost up to 7,000 servicemen and 74 tanks since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk area. The operation to destroy the Ukrainian armed formations continues.