US General Hodges: Ukraine's operation in Kursk Oblast disproves the myth of 'red lines'
The operation of the Defense Forces in Kursk Oblast demonstrated that there are no "red lines" in the Russo-Ukrainian war, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the former commander of the US ground forces in Europe, said in an interview with DW .
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According to him, the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin reacted to the entry of the Ukrainian military into Kursk Oblast in his "usual manner" by striking a supermarket in Kostiantynivka.
"This refutes the fear that Putin will escalate and use nuclear weapons. The worst thing he did was fire missiles at yet another supermarket in Ukraine. We restrained ourselves for too long," said Hodges.
Asked if this meant that the "red lines" no longer existed, the officer said: "I certainly hope not."
The lieutenant general stressed that Ukraine has no intention of seizing Kursk Oblast. However, he noted that this operation will force Russia to rethink its actions. According to him, this is how Ukraine protects itself from Russian attacks.
On August 6, 2024, the Ministry of Defense of Russia reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly breached the border with Kursk Oblast.
On August 12, Russia officially recognized the loss of 28 settlements in Kursk Oblast.
On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time publicly acknowledged the operation of Ukraine in the Russian region.
