Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi was considering an attack against Russia's Bryansk Oblast as an alternative to the Kursk incursion, The Economist reported on Aug. 18, citing military sources.
Kyiv launched the unprecedented cross-border incursion on Aug. 6, saying it had captured over 1,000 square kilometers and dozens of Russian settlements since then.
According to Ukrainian soldiers and people close to Syrskyi interviewed by The Economist, the commander-in-chief shared his plans only with a select few military and security officials and discussed them with President Volodymyr Zelensky in one-on-one meetings to maintain maximum operational secrecy.
Syrskyi was reportedly considering several scenarios for hitting Russia's weak spots. The Economist wrote that an attack against Bryansk Oblast—lying west of Kursk Oblast, north of Ukraine's Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts, and east of the Belarusian border—was also considered.
A combined strike against Kursk and Bryansk oblasts were also under discussion, the outlet wrote without revealing further details.
The main goal of the operation was to strengthen Kyiv's position in potential negotiations and draw away Russian troops from Donbas, The Economist wrote. This is consistent with multiple statements by Ukrainian officials.
Zelensky also said that Ukraine aims to create a "buffer zone" on Russian territory, while the Foreign Ministry noted that the operation is designed to halt Russian cross-border strikes.
According to The Economist's sources, the Western partners were not informed about the plans in advance to avoid them being leaked or disrupted. In spite of this, the partners did not protest against the offensive after it was launched, even praising its accomplishments.
The meticulous planning, smart tactics, and secrecy helped Ukraine achieve quick tactical success in the first few days, but Ukrainian soldiers are saying the situation is becoming more tense as Russia is pulling in more experienced troops.
The latter part of the statement is supported by multiple media reports and statements by officials, who said that Russia is rerouting troops from Ukrainian front lines or other Russian regions.
While the number of Russian attacks in the Donbas region has decreased, Russia continues to push toward Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in the region, the Ukrainian military reported.
Emmanuelle Chaze
(Updated: )
