On Kursk: war is extremely nonlinear matter

I would say that I find it amusing to read those who, without access to high-level military information (unless it's rumors about this information), assume the right to write or say something like 'Why do we need that Kursk when there's trouble in Donbas?'

So to the people who are giving advice to our military command on how to conduct the war, I want to remind them of the following facts, which can be established with a fairly superficial study of the history of wars.

War is an extremely nonlinear matter. This is true both from the perspective of direct combat operations and from the perspective of political and informational logic. Therefore, it is not always necessary to throw all your forces where the biggest battle is taking place, especially if the enemy has the advantage there. Because, I remind you, we have only just begun to receive the shells, and the assistance approved only in April cannot materialize on the front lines as if by teleportation.

Therefore, a seemingly large-scale attack on Russian territory itself could disrupt the balance of power in Russia and, consequently, slow down their movement in Donbas. Disrupting their defenses, stretching their forces, and forcing them to divert some of their aviation and heavy equipment is a well-justified objective. Moreover, due to the lower readiness of the Russians to meet Ukrainian forces there, Ukraine could achieve these goals with relatively less bloodshed.

"Moreover, there are numerous possible motives for carrying out this operation precisely there and precisely now. From the disorganization of Russian forces, which they could have thrown into the Sumy region as they did in Kharkiv region in May, to extravagant theories, which you can read plenty of on the internet."

Yes, we have already had examples when the Ukrainian Armed Forces acted nonlinearly and very successfully. For example, two years ago, the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region began precisely when the Russians were already assaulting Bakhmut. In just two weeks, more land was liberated than the Russians had occupied during their entire cursed offensive, which has been going on for 10 months, during which they burned through a lot of people and equipment.

And no, I understand that witnesses of criminal authority and “treacherous generals” want to rile up their audience with simplistic slogans like “diverting attention,” “Zelenskyy's (or Syrskyi's) PR,” and other truly hostile propaganda.

But the Ukrainian Armed Forces remain silent about the details of the operation in Kursk. This is not a raid; it's quite serious. The Russian reaction is terrified, and not without reason. Trust your army and listen less to those who spread hostile narratives.

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About the author: Yuriy Bogdanov, publicist and specialist in strategic communications in the fields of business, public administration, and politics. 

The editorial board does not always share the views expressed by blog authors.