Ukraine kept Kursk attack secret from U.S. and own army

According to The New York Times, Kyiv maintained strict secrecy around the attack plan in the Kursk region until the operation was nearly complete. The article notes that some units were only informed of their objectives at the very last moment.

"The New York Times" states that only a "limited number of people" were aware of the attack plans. The troops directed to operations in the Kursk direction were concentrated near the border under the pretext of exercises and equipment deliveries.

"Even within the army, many were kept in the dark. Tykhyi — which means "quiet one" in Ukrainian — said some units were told of their mission only at the last moment," reports the American newspaper.

However, some senior officers learned about the attack plans on August 3 at 8 AM EST. The newspaper, citing sources in the Ukrainian army, reports that one of the colonels summoned his subordinates that day to announce the mission's goals: "To divert Russian troops to help fellow soldiers fighting in the eastern Donbas region. To push Russian artillery out of range of Sumy. To demoralize the Russians by showing their intelligence and planning failures"—these assumptions they heard.

"The New York Times" also reports that Kyiv did not share the operation plans with Washington. The decision not to inform allies was due, among other things, to "Ukraine’s obsessive concern over leaks."

An important factor that prevented Kyiv from sharing its counteroffensive plan was the fear of a reaction from the US. According to American officials who spoke with the newspaper, Ukrainians assumed that the White House would try to dissuade them from their attack plans.