Ukraine’s high stakes gamble in Kursk has appeared to pay off, with russian state media even admitting that Ukrainians are successfully advancing in the oblast. One of RT’s writers on December 12, 2024 wrote, regarding the Kursk offensive:
“The situation here hasn’t changed much since our last report, and clashes continue. Despite major challenges at other sections of the front, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) is still sending reserves to Kursk. Kiev believes that retaining control over this section of the front is crucial since it gives it leverage with the new presidential administration in the US. According to Western and Ukrainian sources, North Korean soldiers have reportedly been deployed to Kursk region, though their presence hasn’t been confirmed… This week, battles have become more intense. Kursk remains one of the few directions where Ukrainian forces are actively counterattacking, able to hold their ground and even occasionally advancing.”
Indeed, similarly to Gorbachev’s failure of managing the Cuban missile crisis, the russians, and Putin, only understand that the situation has turned against their favour when it is already too late. As a result of the offensive operations undergone by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), the russians have been effectively check-mated out of all negotiations, as the façade of a strong russian power would never concede their own internationally recognized territory to an adversary, which is paradoxically what they want Ukraine to do. Thus, the new incoming White House administration, who has long advocated for a ceasefire and negotiations to take place, will soon quickly realize that even if Ukraine and the Western powers agree to such a deal, as long as the AFU maintains a presence in Kursk, russia will never agree to a freeze in hostilities. This conundrum has left not only Putin with a headache, but state media spin doctors too; as they have failed to create a positive spin on their failures in Kursk. At last, they now report with great despair that Ukraine’s government has obtained significant leverage to present to the United States with regards to the successful Kursk offensive, that will essentially enable the continued support of its country through the traditional means of Western countries continuing to supply weapons systems and ammunition.
https://www.rt.com/russia/609229-overview-situation-on-front/
MIDON INTEL 