Stand behind Ukrainian independent journalism when it’s needed most. Help us reach 20,000 members.

Skip to content
Edit post

Ukraine's Kursk incursion 'demonstrates that Russia is at the limit of its capabilities,' says former US NATO ambassador

by Nate Ostiller and Martin Fornusek August 31, 2024 5:33 PM 2 min read
Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker speaking at the Globsec conference in Prague, Czechia, on Aug. 31, 2024. (Ray Baseley/the Kyiv Independent)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast "demonstrates that Russia is at the limit of its capabilities," said Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, at the Globsec conference in Prague on Aug. 31.

As Kyiv's incursion into Kursk Oblast entered its fourth week, Ukraine is in control of 1,294 square kilometers (around 500 square miles) and 100 settlements, including the town of Sudzha, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Aug. 27.

"(Russia) can't attack Ukraine and defend Russia at the same time, it has had to make a choice," Volker said.

"It's going to have to move forces from Ukraine to defend Russia. That movement is something we should be taking advantage of with long-range systems to hit them while they move," he added.

The incursion further shows that "Russia does not have the ability to escalate," Volker said.

Separately, Ukrainian lawmaker Olena Khomenko said that the Kursk incursion "proves that there are no real risks of Russian escalation, and there are no Russian red lines."

Ukrainian lawmaker Olena Khomenko at the Globsec conference in Prague, Czechia, on Aug. 31, 2024. (Ray Baseley/the Kyiv Independent)

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's only reaction was pretending that nothing special is happening," she added.

The Kursk incision also erodes the narrative that Russia is trying to portray to its domestic audience that the full-scale war is not truly a war, said Volker.

In terms of the larger dynamics of the war, the incursion alters the trope that any future negotiations between Russia and Ukraine begin with concessions from Kyiv.

"Now it is more of a question of a trade," Volker said.

"Russia has to give something up in order to get something as well, that has not been the case before."

Russian POWs on their capture in Kursk Oblast: ‘Commanders just disappeared’
Halfway down a narrow corridor painted all in gray, the guard wrestles with a bulky lock to gain entry to the prison cell. Inside are around twenty young men, sitting on a criss-crossing pattern of metal bunk beds. In the corner of the room, plastic cups and books are stacked

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

News Feed

11:51 PM

Trump 'very surprised, disappointed' at Russian attacks on Ukraine amid peace talks.

"I've gotten to see things I was very surprised at. Rockets being shot into cities like Kyiv during a negotiation that was maybe very close to ending," Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office. "All of a sudden rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died. I saw thing I was surprised at and I don't like being surprised, so I'm very disappointed in that way."
5:10 PM

All territory will revert to Ukraine, predicts US diplomat.

The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with Michael Carpenter, former U.S. Ambassador to OSCE and senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, to discuss the current lagging U.S. military support for Ukraine amid the ongoing ceasefire talks with Russia. Carpenter also offers his predictions for the future of Ukraine’s occupied territories.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.