Kursk Oblast operation discussed with Western allies in advance, UA Presidential Office says
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Kyiv held non-public discussions about its plans for the Russian Kursk Oblast incursion with Western partners, Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian Presidential Office head advisor told in an interview with The Independent published on Aug. 15.
While the United States and Britain have claimed that they were not informed of this offensive, Podolyak argued that discussions did take place, but “not at the public level.”
“There are certain things that have to be done with the element of surprise, and that have to happen on a local level,” he said.
“But there were discussions between partner forces.”
Podolyak believes that launching an operation on Russian territory will put pressure on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to negotiate, but that alone will not suffice to end the war.
“We need to inflict significant tactical defeats on Russia, in addition to economic and diplomatic tools. In Kursk Oblast, we are seeing the optimisation of this military tool to force Russia into the negotiation process.”
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Aug. 7 that Kyiv had not given Washington advance warning of its cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
“Russia violated Ukraine's territorial integrity... and continues to illegally occupy Ukrainian territory,” said Miller.
“The decision on how Ukraine conducts military operations is up to Ukraine, and our policy regarding cross-border strikes has not changed.”
He clarified that the United States did not receive information about the operation in Kursk Oblast in advance. Nevertheless, Miller said that "Ukraine's actions do not violate U.S. policy."
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