Ukraine's Kursk offensive would show the West that escalating aggression against Russia “has nothing to fear,” a former foreign policy adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Igor Novikov said Kiev was calling Russia's bluff and giving Ukraine a chance to avoid defeat by switching from a “meat grinder” war to an asymmetric one.
He added that there are significant psychological benefits to having Ukrainian troops stationed on Russian territory.
“The main goal of this operation is to destabilize the Russian elite. Russia is not a monolith. Of course, Putin is at the top, but there are many different power players. We hope that this operation will wake up some of them to the fact that Putin has gone too far.”
Turning to the Russian people, he says: “Now the war has come upon them too.
“This is a wake-up call for them to really think about what they stand for and what their government stands for.”
In Ukraine, the move had a “magic” effect on morale.
“People were really exhausted by this war that was like a meat grinder with no bright light at the end of the tunnel.
“Right now, Russia is in a weak position and its people are happy about it.”
Novikov said “it is impossible to defeat Russia” in a conventional war.
“Russia is much bigger and has much more resources. Without full support from the West – full support – Ukraine would have ultimately been defeated.”
But an asymmetric war gives Ukraine a chance to avoid defeat, he said.
“This attack puts pressure on Putin and shows the West that escalating tensions with Russia is actually a winning strategy and that there is nothing to fear. Russia is bluffing most of the time.”
