Poland, a strong ally of Ukraine, has expressed robust support for Kyiv’s recent incursion into Russian territory, describing the operation as a “clever move” that complicates Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategy. Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak, the general inspector of the Polish Air Force, articulated this stance during a discussion with Breaking Defense, emphasizing the positive outlook on Ukraine’s offensive posture at this moment.
„I’m very satisfied that Ukraine assumed an offensive approach right now,” General Nowak stated. The situation in the Donbas region is notably challenging, with Russia pressing hard for Ukrainian forces to retreat. Amidst this backdrop, Ukraine’s surprise offensive, which began on August 6, has progressed into Russia’s Kursk region, capturing hundreds of square miles and several villages while leading to the surrender of numerous Russian troops.
Although the territory seized by Ukraine remains significantly smaller compared to the vast areas taken by Russia since the conflict began, Nowak pointed out that this move complicates Moscow’s military strategy and serves as an embarrassment for Putin. „That was a very clever move with bright strategic thinking,” he said, adding that it presents operational dilemmas for Russia and damages Putin’s image as a strong leader. „Now he appears as a weak and unpredictable leader who is failing to manage the situation,” Nowak concluded.
This operation places Western nations, particularly the Biden administration, in a delicate position, as they have previously sought to deter Ukraine from conducting strikes inside Russia using US-supplied weapons. Although Washington has recently relaxed some of these restrictions, allowing for cross-border strikes, limitations on long-range targets deep within Russia still remain.
Ukrainian officials continue to press the Biden administration for further relaxations of this policy, which was initially implemented to prevent escalation. Throughout the ongoing conflict, Putin has signaled potential nuclear responses to perceived threats to Russia’s sovereignty, raising tensions in the geopolitical landscape.
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen commented on the Ukrainian offensive during a summit of intelligence officials in Washington, noting that while the ultimate significance of the operation is still unfolding, it has the potential to create challenges for Russian forces. Although Kyiv does not seem inclined to annex the captured territory as Russia has done, Cohen indicated that holding it would likely provoke a counterattack from Russia. As Ukraine works on building defenses, the ensuing confrontation could prove to be „difficult” for Moscow.
More broadly, Cohen highlighted that Ukraine’s actions seem to counter some of Putin’s predictions, which suggested an ongoing favorability for Russian military efforts as they gradually diminished Ukrainian resistance and as Western support potentially wavered. “Putin will have to confront not only the fact that there’s a new front line within Russian territory but also the implications for his domestic standing as they have lost a piece of Russian land,” Cohen remarked. “This has the potential to alter the dynamics moving forward.”
