"We joked that it wasn't April 1st," a Ukrainian soldier identified only by his first name, Serhiy, told The Economist.
  • Ukrainian’s shock offensive on Russia’s Kursk region came as a surprise even to Ukraine’s soldiers.
  • “We joked that it wasn’t April 1st,” a Ukrainian soldier told The Economist.
  • The country’s troops did suspect that an invasion was imminent after they were issued new equipment.
  • @WahotsEnglish
    41•22 days ago

    Andrey Gurulyov, a Russian lawmaker and retired major general, said in a televised interview in Russia on August 8 that the country’s military knew about Ukraine’s plans to attack Kursk a month before it happened.

    “But from the top came the order not to panic, and that those above know better,” Gurulyov said, according to a translation by The New York Times.

    “So we staffed it with the greenest of recruits, and left it practically defenseless!”

    Lmao, I’m sure they knew. Riiiiight xD

    • @bassad@jlai.luEnglish
      6•22 days ago

      jokes aside it could have been the plan : leave some land and let ukraine extend logistic line.

      Napoleon did burn Moscow before the catastrophic Winter retreat, Hitler almost went to Moscow during Barbarossa, at the end Russia survived

      • @DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.socialEnglish
        2•21 days ago

        The difference being Ukraine isn’t trying to conquer Russia and won’t overextend their supply lines so if that was the plan a moron thought it up.

        • @WanderingVentra@lemm.eeEnglish
          1•21 days ago

          Then why attack? Just to force Russia to retreat from their other offensive lines? I figured it was to take some territory and then trade it in negotiations to keep Crimea or something.