Kremlin tensions rise as Gerasimov ignores Kursk invasion warnings
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, Valery Gerasimov, received information two weeks before the attack on Ukraine that Ukrainian troops were gathering at the border of the Kursk region. The military officer ignored the information as if nothing threatened the Russians. According to Bloomberg, it also did not reach Vladimir Putin.
According to information provided by Bloomberg journalists, Russian intelligence warned Gerasimov and other high-ranking officials two weeks before the attack that Ukrainian soldiers were gathering at the border of the Kursk region. This information was not only ignored by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, but also, as reported by a Bloomberg source, it did not reach President Vladimir Putin.
The portal's source, who wishes to remain anonymous, emphasises that although Gerasimov's actions are increasingly criticised, a decision to dismiss him in the near future is unlikely. However, there is no doubt that the Kremlin's patience with his conduct of the war is beginning to run out.
Russia declared a state of emergency in the Kursk region, where the third day of battles is ongoing to repel the invasion. According to Gerasimov, the invasion was conducted by "up to 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers supported by tanks and armoured vehicles." The general told Putin during a video conference that Russia has deployed troops and artillery and is conducting airstrikes to halt the offensive.
The Ukrainian breakthrough in the Kursk region occurred at a time when fighting on the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine remained at a stalemate.
Gerasimov reportedly appealed not to "spread panic"
The Rybar channel on Telegram, which is close to the Russian Ministry of Defence, wrote that the military command did not pay attention to reports of Ukrainian soldiers gathering near the Kursk region. The channel does not specify who ignored the impending attack's message. Still, as the portal 24tv.ua recalls, since January 2023, Gerasimov has been commanding the Russian troops group in Ukraine.
Rybar's information coincides with data published by the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel. According to it, Gerasimov was informed two weeks ago that an invasion of the Kursk region could occur. As the channel writes, Gerasimov responded by appealing not to "spread panic" and "not to fall into enemy misinformation."
