Kursk operation just getting started, military expert says

Pavlo Lakiychuk, the head of the security programs at the Center for Global Studies Strategy XXI, announced this on Espreso TV.

“From an operational and strategic perspective, the operation in the Kursk region is just beginning. The initial stage, which involves breaking through Russian defenses, usually takes four to five days. The Ukrainian Defense Forces have done an excellent job so far. The next phase will be more complex, with tasks expected to take up to two weeks to complete," he said. 

Lakiychuk suggested what Ukraine's Armed Forces Command plans for the next stages of the operation in the Kursk region.

"This could involve raids into Russia's rear in other areas or targeting Russian rear positions directly in the Kursk region. Back in May, General Budanov mentioned that when Russian troops were active in the Kharkiv region, they were building up forces for a major strike in the Sumy region. This pre-emptive strike aims to completely disrupt their plans. It’s hard to predict how things will unfold, but the fact that second echelons are being deployed and defensive lines are being established in certain areas suggests that Ukrainian forces aren’t planning to pull back anytime soon," he summarized.

• Marcus Faber, Chairman of the German Bundestag Defense Committee, said that the attack on Russia's Kursk region demonstrates to the Russians that their leader lacks control.