More Evidence: Ukraine Commander Says Western Intelligence Was Behind Kursk Attack

Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

A Ukrainian soldier speaking to the Japanese broadcaster NHK has said that Western intelligence was used to monitor Russian troop activity in Russia’s Kursk Oblast before Ukrainian forces launched an invasion of the region.

“He says the Ukrainian military surveilled Kursk using drones and satellites, and detailed intelligence data provided by the West was crucial for the operation,” NHK reported.

The US has denied that it was involved in the planning of the invasion but has offered strong support by allowing Ukrainian forces to use US-provided armored vehicles, missiles, and bombs.

Ukraine is now pushing hard for the US to allow its weapons to be used for long-range strikes. Earlier this week the Pentagon repeated its same official line:

During a news conference on Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Patrick Ryder was asked whether the U.S. would reconsider its restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-supplied missiles.

“You’ve heard us say that the Ukrainians can use U.S. security assistance to defend themselves from cross-border attacks, in other words counterfire,” Ryder said. “But as it relates to long-range strike, deep strikes into Russia, our policy has not changed.”

The Ukrainian soldier, who was described as a spokesman for a Ukrainian brigade, suggested one purpose of the invasion of Kursk was to demoralize the Russian civilian population.

“We should not forget about the moral and psychological factor of the Russian civilian population,” he said. “Our operation was planned both tactically and as a move to demoralize the enemy.”

While the fighting continues in Kursk, Russian forces are making steady gains in the Donbas and moving more rapidly toward the Donetsk city of Pokrovsk.

Western intel key to Kiev’s Russia incursion plan – US spy chief.

Ukraine has access to a trove of commercial satellite images, according to the head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Kiev had access to a wide array of satellite images for planning and executing…

— Mats Nilsson (@mazzenilsson) August 30, 2024

There’s no sign the violence will end anytime soon, as Russia is now ruling out peace talks with Ukraine following the Kursk invasion.