Ukraine's bold offensive in Kursk sparks Russian accusations
Propaganda is desperately seeking to place blame for the failure. The easiest way to do this is to blame the West, alleging that it took a direct part in Ukraine's attack on Kursk. "The operation in the Kursk region was also planned with the involvement of NATO and Western special services," insists Nikolai Patrushev, currently serving as Putin's advisor and formerly the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia.
Many of the reports conveyed by Russian media and government representatives are likely not authentic. Such reports may be elements of an information war from the Russian Federation.
On 6 August, there was a breakthrough on the battlefield between Russia and Ukraine. Suddenly, Ukraine entered Russian territory and started gaining ground in the Kursk and Belgorod regions.
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces control even 1,150 square kilometres of Russian territory.
The search for who is to blame for this situation continues. According to Nikolai Patrushev, Putin's advisor and former Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, the West was involved in the attack on Russia.
The operation in the Kursk region was also planned with the involvement of NATO and Western special services, Patrushev said in an interview with the daily "Izvestia".
Washington: We didn't know about Ukrainian plans
The White House has assured Russian officials that Washington had no knowledge of Ukraine's plans regarding Russian Federation territories and, therefore, did not participate. However, such assurances are not sufficient.
The claims by the U.S. leadership that it was not involved in Kyiv's crimes in the Kursk region are not true. Without their participation and direct support, Kyiv would not have dared to enter Russian territory, Patrushev claims.
Russians are looking for possible arguments to justify Ukraine's surprising successes in the Kursk region. However, there is more bad news for Putin's administration. Ukraine has set its sights on the vicinity of Crimea, which has been under Russian occupation for 10 years.
