I was in #Sumy on Monday for @zeit and spoke to soldiers from several brigades about their activities in #Kursk region. Here are some insights. 1/n
First of all: Commanders don’t comment. Press officers reject requests. The soldiers I spoke to asked to only share limited information with the public. They themselves don’t know the aims of this offensive or what they will be required to do in a week from now. 2/n
Their confidence was striking and stood in stark contrast to other parts of the frontline. I had been in Pokrovsk and Zaporizhzhia region just a week ago. The mood there has shifted, soldiers told me about new recruits going AWOL or dying within a few days. 3/n
The men I talked to in Sumy are part of mobile groups/units, experienced in offensive actions and quick maneuvers. Some of them arrived to prepare the offensive, without realising what they were doing. "Until the last moment, I was sure we were defending“, one of them said. 4/n
This is only one of the many indications of how carefully this offense was planned. 5/n
Out of the 3 scenarios that military experts consider realistic (expanding further, holding, retreating completely), all men I spoke to were in clear favor of the 1st one: Expanding a bit more, then holding. One said: It is an amazing feeling to finally have enough munition. 6/n
Working on Russian territory brings new challenges, especially in the sphere of communication. Starlink doesn’t work. The Ukrainians can use radios (or even Russian sim cards), but it makes them trackable. This leads to a limited knowledge of the territory ahead. 7/n
Now logistics is key. If the aim is to hold territory, Ukrainian soldiers need to set up supply lines and ensure safe ways for the evacuation of material & men. Currently, the problems with communication and surveillance are standing in the way. 8/n
For more details, read our brief dispatch in tomorrow's @DIEZEIT. 9/9
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