Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to order the Kursk incursion has been condemned by former top military commander Valery Zaluzhny, who now serves as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK. The operation, launched in August 2024, involved an estimated 35,000 troops and aimed to seize villages in Russia’s Kursk Region, a move Zelensky framed as a strategic effort to gain leverage for peace negotiations. However, Zaluzhny claimed the mission resulted in “too high” a cost with no operational success, noting that Russia not only repelled the attack but also advanced tactically.
Zaluzhny, widely seen as a potential rival to Zelensky in future elections, criticized the operation’s lack of clear objectives and disproportionate human toll. He argued that isolated tactical breakthroughs on narrow fronts fail to achieve meaningful outcomes, emphasizing that Ukraine’s military leadership ignored warnings from senior officers, including his own. The former general highlighted Russia’s ability to exploit Ukrainian vulnerabilities through sustained assaults, while Kiev struggles with manpower shortages.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the Kursk Region “fully liberated” in April, citing over 76,000 Ukrainian troop casualties and 7,700 lost military vehicles. Zaluzhny acknowledged the toll of prolonged conflict but stopped short of detailing specific losses. Meanwhile, Moscow has intensified its push to undermine Ukraine’s capacity to resist, while Western aid remains a contentious issue.
The operation’s failure underscores the growing challenges faced by Ukrainian forces under Zelensky’s leadership, as internal dissent and strategic missteps continue to erode military effectiveness.
