NATO allies believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is aiming to recapture territory lost to Ukraine in the Kursk region before Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, The Telegraph reported on Nov. 11.
Western diplomats caution that Putin may be acting swiftly to capture territory before Trump assumes office, hoping to gain leverage in future peace negotiations, according to the media outlet.
A British defense intelligence assessment, seen by The Telegraph, warns that Russia is likely to intensify kamikaze drone attacks on Ukrainian positions, using new launch sites near the border.
In a bid to regain control, Russia has deployed 50,000 troops, including soldiers from North Korea, to Kursk Oblast. Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that "tens of thousands of enemy soldiers from the best Russian shock units" are aiming to push Ukrainian forces out of the Russian enclave, raising concerns of a significant escalation in the war.
The Kremlin’s actions may also signal an attempt to build momentum for a larger offensive into Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast. Ukrainian analysts noted that Russia has already reclaimed roughly half of the territory it lost in Ukraine's Kursk incursion launched in early August.
U.S. media reports suggest that Trump spoke with Putin after the presidential election, reportedly cautioning the Russian leader against escalating the war, particularly with the addition of North Korean troops and supplies to the Russian military effort.
While the Kremlin has denied reports of a conversation between Trump and Putin, U.S. media outlets have confirmed that the two leaders spoke, with Putin congratulating Trump on his election win and calling him "courageous."
President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Trump on his victory, urging the incoming president to maintain military support for Ukraine in the coming months.
Timothy Ash
