Ukraine's Kursk Offensive and Its Strategic Implications

On August 6th, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russian territory, aiming to flip the script in its ongoing — and seemingly flagging — effort to defend itself against Russian aggression. Questions have been raised over the extent to which Kyiv's gambit has been successful. But are these latest developments a sign that the war is escalating beyond the ability of the West to control? And what are the implications for the likelihood that ceasefire negotiations might take hold under the next U.S. administration? Join IPD for an in-depth discussion with two of America's leading experts on Russia to unpack these (and many more) questions.

👥 Speakers:
• Thomas E. Graham: Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Former Senior Director for Russia, U.S. National Security Council
• Eugene Rumer: Director & Senior Fellow, Russia & Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

🎙️ Moderator:
• Zachary Paikin: Senior Fellow, Institute for Peace & Diplomacy

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[joshuapaul]

At this point unconditional surrender is the only practical solution for Ukraine. Hitler's Germany also refused to admit defeat until Hitler killed himself, then Keitel signed unconditional surrender.

[joshuapaul]

Both Zelenskyy and Sirsky are heavily invested in this failed Kursk misadventure, so they are just reinforcing the failure as they did in Krinki, Bakhmut or a failed Zelenskyy offensive in 2023. It's their usual pattern. They kept Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut when all escape routes were under Russian fire control and it turned into a senseless slaughter. But they didn't stop even at that, after May 20, when Russians took Bakhmut they launched for months wave after wave of suicidal attacks in a futile attempt to recapture Bakhmut. I remember even NYT called it an obsession. Currently we see a cumulative effect of an attrition strategy implemented by Russians. For a long time it seems nothing changes on the map, but then we see rapid collapse. "The main object of operations should not be the territory, but the enemy's army. If the army runs out, the territory will come by itself. " Helmut von Moltke Senior. This war proved once more that old Moltke was right. Zelenskyy troops in Pokrovsk area (Pokrovsk is a key logistical hub that Zelenskyy is about to lose) mostly consist of hapless cannon fodder kidnapped off the streets. They are totally disorganized and demoralized.