US and UK intelligence officials comment on Ukraine's Kursk offensive and its effect on Russian elites

Iryna Kutielieva, KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — Saturday, 7 September 2024, 19:37

Ukraine’s Kursk offensive has triggered "questions" among the Russian elite about what the point of the war is, said CIA director Bill Burns and MI6 chief Richard Moore.

Source: The Financial Times

Details: Burns said Kursk was "a significant tactical achievement" that had boosted Ukrainian morale and exposed Russia’s weaknesses.

It has "raised questions [...] across the Russian elite about where is this all headed," Burns said.

Moore said the Kursk offensive was "a typically audacious and bold move by the Ukrainians [...] to try and change the game."

Background:

  • On 4 September, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said he believed that Ukraine’s operation in Kursk Oblast could enhance its position in future negotiations with Russia.
  • On 5 September, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine has achieved "a lot" during its offensive operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

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