Politico: Zelenskyy initiated Kursk attack despite resistance from top commanders

Several senior Ukrainian military commanders, including former Armed Forces Commander Valery Zaluzhny, reportedly opposed plans for an operation in Russia's Kursk region.

In its recent article, Politico cites two high-ranking Ukrainian officials (anonymously) who claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first proposed the idea of an offensive within Russia earlier this year and remained adamant about it, Caliber.Az reports.

Zaluzhny’s opposition stemmed from concerns over the lack of a clear follow-up plan after breaching the Russian border. One source mentioned that Zaluzhny never received a clear answer from Zelensky on what the "second step" would be, considering the operation a potential misadventure.

Others who opposed the offensive included the highly respected Emil Ishkulov, commander of Ukraine's 80th Air Assault Brigade. He was dismissed in July amid protests from high-ranking officers who called for him to be kept in post. “We don't understand why commanders who have unquestioned authority among the personnel, who have a victorious combat record and experience of a big war, are out of favour to the top leadership of the armed forces,” the commanders said in a protest video posted on social media sites.

The issue of Zaluzhny’s "second step" remains a pivotal concern, with Western and Ukrainian critics fearing that Kyiv’s forces could face a costly and demoralizing retreat deep inside Russian territory.