This is according to Central Intelligence Agency Director David Cohen, who spoke about Ukraine's recent offensive into Russia at the recent Intelligence and National Security Summit in Maryland on Aug. 28.
Earlier in August, Kyiv began its surprise offensive into Russian territory, deploying up to 10,000 troops armed with Western-supplied heavy weapons. The Ukrainian forces have managed to seize some border areas, leading to the deaths and injuries of dozens of civilians. However, they have been unable to advance farther into Russian territory.
When asked whether he and his colleagues at Langley were caught off guard by Ukraine’s incursion, Cohen declined to provide a direct answer. He noted that the full significance and implications of the attack "remain to be seen."
Reports suggest that Ukraine did not consult its Western allies before initiating the operation, leaving them uncertain about its ultimate objectives. (Related: NATO doubts Ukraine’s ability to maintain control of Kursk amid fierce battles.)
"They are remaining in Russia, building defenses, and, as best as we can tell from our conversations, there seems to be intent on retaining some of that territory for some period of time," Cohen remarked, without elaborating on the specifics of the discussions.
Cohen also mentioned that Ukraine’s actions "have the potential to change the dynamic" of the conflict, though he acknowledged that Russia will likely "mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory."
"Our expectation is that this will be a difficult fight for the Russians," Cohen added. "It's still early days in this, so we'll have to see how it all plays out."
The Ukrainian leadership has offered varying explanations for the operation in Kursk. Initially, President Volodymyr Zelensky's office claimed that capturing Russian territory was necessary to strengthen Ukraine's position in eventual peace talks with Russia and to pressure Moscow by intimidating the Russian public into accepting Ukrainian terms.
Later, the messaging shifted, with Zelensky describing the need to create a "buffer zone" within Russian territory to preempt any future Russian attempts to enter Ukraine's Sumy Oblast from Kursk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the incursion and the resulting harm to Russian civilians have made negotiations with Ukraine impossible. Previously, he had offered a ceasefire in exchange for political and military concessions.
Ukraine claims Kursk incursion has dealt a blow to Putin's reputation
Ukraine claims that its ongoing incursion into Kursk has delivered significant military and political results.
Ukrainian media claim that Ukrainian forces have advanced as far as 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) into Russian territory, capturing over 90 settlements, including the strategic town of Sudzha. Ukraine also claims to have destroyed key bridges, captured hundreds of Russian soldiers and, perhaps just as importantly, supposedly dealt a blow to Putin's reputation and caused frustration among Russian citizens by highlighting weaknesses in Russia's military.
According to Ukrainian media reporting on the incursion, Moscow has had a blow to its international reputation after repeated attempts to downplay the massive operation as a mere "terror attack" and Ukraine's supposed success has shifted focus away from Russian gains in the contested Donbas region, diverted resources away from these and other fronts and boosted the morale of the depleted Ukrainian Armed Forces and its benefactors in the Western world.
Military analysts agree that, if Russia is unable to dislodge Ukrainian troops from Kursk, the captured territory could strengthen Kyiv's position of power in potential peace negotiations and offer Ukraine a bargaining chip in exchange for Russian-occupied areas of southern and southeastern Ukraine.
Kyiv is also celebrating exposing to the world the supposed limits of Russia's military capabilities that have led to some of the biggest Russian defeats since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022, especially the capture of large numbers of Russian prisoners of war, which have raised hopes for the eventual return of Ukrainian soldiers still held in Russian captivity.
Watch this video discussing how the Russian Armed Forces are causing severe casualties against elite Ukrainian and alleged NATO soldiers in Kursk.
This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Russia launches over 200 drones and missiles targeting critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
PUTIN: Ukraine tried, but failed, to attack Russian nuclear power plant in Kursk.
Russia declares federal emergency in Belgorod as Ukraine intensifies attacks on Kursk.
Analyst: Ukraine’s attack on Kursk IMPOSSIBLE without U.S. support.
Ukraine wants to start talks using Kursk nuclear plant seizure as ultimatum – Akhmat head.
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