Russia is planning to respond to Ukraine's operation in Kursk Oblast, Vadym Skibitsky, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, said during an event in Kyiv on Aug. 21, Lb.ua media outlet reported.
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that Kyiv had advanced between 28-35 kilometers (18-21 miles) into Russia's Kursk Oblast as the unprecedented incursion entered its third week.
According to Syrskyi, Ukraine has captured 1,263 square kilometers (488 square miles) of Russian territory and 93 settlements.
"The operation is ongoing. Russia is planning a response. There are plans, we know about them. Our government and military leadership know about them so they can continue it (the operation) and disrupt the (Russian) plans," Skibitsky said.
The experience gained during the Kherson and Kharkiv counteroffensives in 2022 helped Kyiv launch the Kursk operation, Skibitsky said.
"This is the next operation (in Kursk Oblast), which allows us to gain real combat experience in conducting offensive operations. This is very positive because this experience is necessary for the liberation of our territories," the major general added.
According to Skibitsky, Kyiv's incursion into Kursk Oblast will "change a lot" in the world's attitude towards Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would not need to launch the incursion into Kursk Oblast if partners had allowed Kyiv to use Western-supplied long-range weapons against targets on Russian soil.
Ukraine did not disclose preparations for an operation to the country's allies because the world might consider it crossing Russia's "strictest of all red lines," he said.
Kyiv said that rather than capturing Russian territory, the incursion aims to protect Ukrainian lives by preventing cross-border attacks and diverting Russian reinforcements.
Chris York
