Russian general dismissed Intel, Kursk under threat
4:16 PM EDT, August 9, 2024
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 Kursk region border. 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 Kursk region border. This information was not only ignored by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia but also, according to a Bloomberg source, it did not reach President Vladimir Putin.
The portal's source, who wishes to remain anonymous, emphasizes that although Gerasimov's actions are increasingly criticized, a decision to dismiss him shortly 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 battles are ongoing for the third day to repel the invasion. According to Gerasimov, the invasion was conducted by "up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, driving tanks and other armored vehicles and supported by drones and artillery." 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 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 Defense, 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 specifically ignored the message about the impending attack, but as the portal 24tv.ua recalls, since January 2023, Gerasimov has been commanding the Russian troops 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 to this with an appeal not to "spread panic" and "not to fall into enemy misinformation."
