Ukrainian Tanks in Kursk: The First Major Incursion into Russian Territory Since WWII

A report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

For the first time since World War II, regular military forces have invaded Russian territory. For the first time, German tanks have penetrated the Kursk region in Russia, this time under the Ukrainian flag.

The headline in the German newspaper Bild about the return of German tanks to Russian land after eighty years prompted a response from Russian Security Council Vice Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, who stated that Russian tanks could reach Republic Square in Berlin.

Meanwhile, the fighting continues, and analyses of the objectives behind the Ukrainian operation vary. Analysts and experts believe that Kyiv aims to disrupt and confuse the Russian army, attempting to alleviate the pressure of the Russian attack and advance in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

Some view the incursion as an attempt by Ukraine to demonstrate its ability to regain the initiative after more than two years of war, securing a strong bargaining position in any potential negotiations, especially ahead of the US presidential elections.

In interpreting the objectives of the incursion, some have linked the Ukrainian operation to the presence of the Russian gas measuring station in Sudzha, through which Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine, noting that the station still pumps Russian gas.

The Kursk nuclear power plant, located about 50 kilometers from the combat zone in Sudzha, is also considered a potential target, according to analysts, as a bargaining chip against the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, which was seized by Russian forces early in the war.

On the other hand, analysts believe that the incursion into Kursk could deplete some of Ukraine’s best military units and that it may be challenging for Ukraine to maintain a permanent presence there due to the vulnerability of its supply lines to Russian attacks.