Debunked the Myth: Syrsky's Operation in Kursk Region Surprised not Only Putin, - WSJ.

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky surprised the Russian forces and Ukrainian fighters with his latest operation.

According to the information from "Khvylia," The Wall Street Journal reported this.

At the end of July, Syrsky gathered senior officers for a secret meeting where he presented a bold plan to restore the country's weakened military efforts. He stated that the Ukrainian army would 'swap roles with Moscow' by executing the first large-scale invasion of Russia since World War II.

One of those present, the chief of staff of the 61st Mechanized Brigade, admitted that the first thing he thought was: "Where are we going?" - said Lieutenant Colonel Artem Kholodkevich.

The publication writes that the swift penetration of weak border defenses and the capture of about 100 settlements by Ukrainian troops greatly surprised Russia. The operation was unexpected for its participants, despite its success.

"We debunked the myth that Russia is an invincible country. We did what no one has done for 80 years," Kholodkevich said.

WSJ points out that Syrsky exceeded expectations and demonstrated his capabilities, as seen in the Kharkiv offensive in 2022 and in the Kursk operation. Serhiy Cherevatyi, a former adviser to the commander-in-chief, emphasized that Syrsky uses his ability to perform unexpected actions to compensate for a lack of resources and take advantage of opportunities.

According to Ukrainian military officials, the invasion has been ongoing for the fourth week and has brought successes, even with the arrival of Russian reinforcements. At least 2,000 Russian soldiers have been stranded near the river, and attempts to provide help using pontoon bridges have been unsuccessful.

WSJ notes that Ukraine is using Russia's unpreparedness to strike deeper into the rear and is creating a so-called buffer zone that Volodymyr Zelensky called for to stop Russian military operations against Ukraine.

Syrsky stated that Russia is not transferring its troops from the Pokrovske front to Kursk as Ukraine had anticipated, but also is not strengthening its grouping there. This has led to complaints from soldiers in the east who claim that their defensive efforts were weakened in favor of the offensive in the Kursk region.

For his part, Hodges said that Syrsky and his advisers anticipated this risk and decided to take it.

"This is not about a popularity contest. It's about achieving a strategic effect, which means you have to take risks in other areas," he said.

Recall, the AFU destroyed another column of Russian armored vehicles and a pontoon crossing in the Kursk region.