Russia partially deploying its forces to Kursk Oblast, exact number is unknown, White House says

Russia has begun to deploy its forces to Kursk Oblast, but the exact number of Russian troops currently in place or awaiting redeployment is unknown, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Aug. 15 in an interview with MSNBC channel.

Ukraine has achieved tactical success in its Kursk incursion, claiming to control 82 Russian settlements, including the town of Sudzha, as of Aug. 15, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Ukraine also established the first military administration in the Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk Oblast, which will be led by General Eduard Moskaliov, a former commander of the Joint Forces, Syrskyi added.

Kirby declined to assess the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast but said that the U.S. was monitoring Russia's reaction and the redeployment of its troops.

The U.S. is in "real-time" contact with Ukraine to better understand the situation in Kursk Oblast, he added.

"In the meantime, we are going to continue to make sure that Ukraine has the weapons and capabilities that it needs to defend itself. We are going to continue to talk to Ukrainians," Kirby said.

Kirby refused to answer a question about further missile shipments to Ukraine, adding that the U.S. will announce new aid packages "in the coming weeks."

While U.S. officials have not yet determined the exact number of troops Russia has sent to combat Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, "multiple brigade-sized elements made up of at least 1,000 troops each appeared to have shifted" to the region, CNN reported on Aug. 15, citing two unnamed senior U.S. officials.

On Aug. 15, a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration told the Kyiv Independent that discussions between Ukraine and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration about supplies of long-range cruise missiles are "in the advanced stages."

The timeline of when the missiles could arrive in Ukraine is unclear, the source said, adding that sometime this fall is in consideration.

President Zelensky's Office declined to comment on the matter.

According to Politico, the U.S. is considering providing Ukraine with JASSM missiles, which can be launched over 200 miles (nearly 322 kilometers) from fourth-generation F-16s.

While the U.S. currently has a ban on supplying long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, a reversal of the ban would not be unprecedented. Since the beginning of the war, the U.S. has reversed policies banning Patriot air defense systems, M1 Abrams tanks, F16 fighter jets and many other weapons platforms from entering the battlefield.

General Mick Ryan on Ukraine’s strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast

Editor’s note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity. As it entered its second week, Ukraine’s cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk Oblast is showing no signs of slowing down. Although the element of surprise that overwhelmed the thin Russian defending force in the firs…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell