Russia’s reaction to Ukraine’s recent Kursk incursion was “slow and fairly scattered,” according to NATO General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe.
Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk Oblast caught Russians off guard, leading to Ukraine’s quick seizure of around 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Russian territory and forcing Russians to divert some of their troops from the Ukrainian-occupied territories.
Speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) event on 15 August, Cavoli outlined several factors contributing to this sluggish response.
Who is in charge for countering Kursk incursion in Russia?
The primary issue is a lack of clear authority within Russia of who would take charge of countering this operation. While the Ministry of Defense oversees military actions in Ukraine, it’s unclear who holds responsibility for operations within Russian borders.
“It’s for the Ministry of Interior, Security service, and other domestic entities. So there is still a certain sorting out of which sources are we going to use, who is in charge, that I think takes a little bit of time,” Cavoli said
Russia has limited forces to fight in Kursk
Another significant factor, according to Cavoli, is Russia’s limited available forces. He noted that a substantial portion of Russian ground forces are currently engaged in Ukraine, leaving few resources to address the situation in Kursk.
“Russia doesn’t have a lot of forces available to throw against them. The scale of the Russian forces committed inside Ukraine is very significant,” Cavoli said.
The remaining units in Russia primarily consist of conscripts who are legally barred from combat in Ukraine, further complicating the response.
While Russia deployed considerable air forces to the Kursk Oblast, Cavoli indicated uncertainty about the extent and effectiveness of ground force involvement. He mentioned that some units were redeployed from Eastern Ukraine to fight in Kursk but emphasized that Russia faces difficult decisions regarding troop allocation and timing.
“It remains to be seen how much ground force they are able put against this and what the effect would be,” he said.
Cavoli’s admires Ukrainian military innovations
Cavoli admired Ukraine’s innovations in military, technical, and tactical spheres, especially after witnessing Kursk incursion.
“There are certainly challenges, but Ukraine certainly has the ability to rise to them,” he claimed.
Cavoli highlighted the international support for Ukraine as a crucial factor in their efforts. He praised the collaborative assistance from approximately 50 countries worldwide, describing their voluntary unity in supporting Ukraine’s struggle as “absolutely wonderful.”
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