Putin strikes back in Kursk, Biden contemplates Ukraine attacking Russian bases with its missiles

Now, the situation in this area is especially confusing, because in principle Ukraine had managed to pocket hundreds of Russian soldiers by blowing up its bridges over the riverIt is not clear whether the attack came directly from Korenevo. —most likely— Or whether the Russians have finally found a way to cross the river. Just in case, Ukraine has launched another attack in the direction of Glushkovo, with the idea of ​​catching the Russian rearguard off guard as it advances towards Sudzha, the town that serves as a military and supply base for Ukraine in the region.

As usual, each side seems satisfied with the course of events: the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrovassured that his troops “were about to expel the Ukrainians from Kursk”, which is very far from reality right now, while the president Zelensky He admitted the Russian counterattack, but said that “the situation is exactly where we wanted it to be,” perhaps referring to the high number of casualties that Russia could face by trying to retake its own territory a month later than it should have.

What is clear is that there has been no collapse of the occupying troops, nor does the liberation promise to be a walk in the park, as hinted by Russian media. According to the magazine Forbesthe Russian president Vladimir Putin He is said to have ordered his high command to completely evacuate any Ukrainian vestiges from Kursk by October 1. It’s three weeks of margin, but it doesn’t seem like an easy task.Ukraine controls more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory. To put that into perspective, during the month of August, Russia advanced about 700 square kilometers into Donetsk. And it was the worst month for Ukraine in the last entire year.

Eastern Front: Russia presses, Ukraine holds

In Donetsk, the situation is very similar. Russia is advancing, yes, but there has been no Ukrainian collapse, something that two weeks ago was a risk that was on the table. Although the situation of the local troops west of Nevelske remains precarious and will probably require a withdrawal sooner or later, the truth is that Ukraine continues to resist in Ukrainsk, Selidove and Hrodivka, the three key accesses for the capture of Pokrovsk, the most important communications hub in the area along with the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk enclave.

There have been no major advances towards Kurejovo or Vuhledar, which are still on the edge, but in an enviable strategic defensive position, which allows them to repel all enemy attacks, causing heavy casualties along the way. In short, It is noticeable that Russian elite troops are still on the ground and are continuing their pace of continuous offensive.according to the usual parameters of his army… but we are also beginning to notice what the general was pointing out Syrskyi In a recent interview with : the rearguard is weakening, rotations are more complicated, supply lines are suffering and progress is necessarily slower.

This is exactly what the Ukrainian high command intended with the surprise offensive at Kursk, which was based on three plausible scenarios: in the first, the advance could have reached the Rilsk-Lgov axis and endangered the Druzhnaya nuclear power plant; in the second, a more limited advance would have provoked an immediate Russian reaction and the mobilization of more troops from Donetsk, easing tension on the front line; in the third, which has occurred, Russia would at least be forced to send some units, easing the situation in Donbas somewhat and giving Ukraine time and space for its own rotations and rests.

It must always be kept in mind that, despite the risk of romanticizing war, it is actually a cruel, painful and slow process. The two armies are at their limit, with their men exhausted and advancing or retreating with difficulty.On social media, where activity and novelty are essential, advances of hundreds of meters are celebrated as if they were resounding victories and alarms are repeated such as “Russia is now only eight kilometers from Pokrovsk!”, ignoring the fact that Russia was already only eight kilometers from Pokrovsk two weeks ago.

Biden and Starmer meet in Washington

While fighting continues on the front and the dispute on social media continues over whether the Kursk offensive was a good or bad idea —Everyone has their reasons—the diplomatic game continues around the world. The American Secretary of State, Antony Blinkenhas been visiting kyiv and Warsaw these days, although he did not want to comment on the decision that the president may take today Friday in Washington. Joe Biden and the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on authorizing Ukraine to bomb military targets on Russian soil with ATACMS and Storm Shadows.

Ukraine is expected to be allowed to strike at least the targets outlined by Zelensky in his meeting with Blinken.

Iran’s entry into the conflict with the delivery of more than 200 short- and medium-range missiles to attack Ukrainian territory has been decisive in the White House’s change of heart. Biden now has the excuse he has been looking for for a long time: It is Russia that has made its move and the West would only be responding to this escalation.. Justifications that should be unnecessary considering that we are talking about the invasion of one country by another, but which mark the military decisions of the US in the face of panic over the Russian nuclear threat.

Por su parte, Turquía también ha mostrado su apoyo a Ucrania, contestando así al plan de paz propuesto por China y Brasil que fijaba la situación actual en el frente como base para las futuras negociaciones. Se trata del principio que siempre ha defendido Putin y, de hecho, Zelenski ha acusado a ambos países de limitarse a poner por escrito como propuesta suya lo que no deja de ser una petición del Kremlin. Por supuesto, Ucrania no va a aceptar nada que no sea el regreso a las fronteras aceptadas por la comunidad internacional.

Eso incluye la península de Crimea y su acceso al Mar Negro. De ahí proviene precisamente la negativa turca, que no quiere competencia rusa sobre sus rutas de comercio y que no ha visto con buenos ojos el acercamiento al mundo musulmán de Putin en los últimos meses, como explicó EL ESPAÑOL el pasado miércoles. El viejo sueño de Erdogan, al menos en términos diplomáticos, es restaurar algo parecido al Imperio Otomano. Un sueño imperialista que choca necesariamente con el propio de Putin.