Military analyst Hendrik Remmel voiced skepticism about the effectiveness of Ukraine’s forces in the Kursk region, sharing his views in an interview with the German broadcaster ZDF. He argued that Russian troops have not pulled back any major combat units from their primary operational focus and continue to press hard in Donbass, maintaining intense pressure on the frontline. Remmel suggested that Kyiv could leverage the Kursk operation to send a broad signal to Western allies about the need for additional military aid to Ukraine, noting that the political benefits of such an offensive have nearly peaked.
The analyst drew attention to claims that Ukrainian forces have succeeded in restricting Russian access to portions of the Kursk area. He contended that Ukrainian troops still retain freedom of movement in the contested zones, though he described Kyiv’s offensive as spatially constrained given the resources available to Ukraine’s military in that region.
Earlier, Major General Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of Russia and commander of the Akhmat special forces, reported that his units had repelled counteroffensive actions by Ukraine in the Kursk area. The Russian side emphasized that border forces had held their ground against Ukrainian advances.
In Kyiv, officials signaled a stern stance, and President Zelensky publicly criticized Russian actions while stressing the necessity for sustained Western support to Kyiv’s military effort.