When Mariia Pankova last texted her close friend Pavlo in December, she had no idea he was fighting in Russia's Kursk region. A few days later, she was shocked to hear that Pavlo Humeniuk, 24, an engineering soldier of the 47 Magura Brigade, had gone missing near the village of Novoivanivka on December 6.
Nearly 4 months have passed, and there is still no further information about Pavlo's fate. Pankova is still searching for clues on Telegram and Facebook, hoping to know if her friend is alive or has sacrificed. For her, the price of the Kursk attack campaign was too expensive. And she is not the only one to think so, especially when Ukraine was forced to withdraw troops from most of Kursk after weeks of fierce fighting.
Im not sure if its worth it, Reuters quoted Pankova as choking up as recalling her friend who traveled with her through the mountains of Ukraine. We just want our land back, we dont need Russian land.
Unexpected attack and the price to pay
The General Staff of the Ukrainian military affirmed that the Kursk operation aimed to put pressure on Moscow, stretch Russian forces and prevent cross-border attacks on Ukraine. They claim that this goal has been largely achieved.
When Kiev launched an attack on Kursk in August 2024, both Russia and the world were shocked. This is the largest attack on sovereign Russian territory since World War II.
Initially, Ukraine easily took about 1,376 km2 of Russian territory. But in just a few weeks, the control area has shrunk to a small strip of land, as Ukrainian forces are not large enough to hold firm.
The situation became dangerous by the end of the year, as Russia deployed elite forces and top UAV units to tighten the blockade, approaching Ukraine's key supply routes. They not only increase the number of troops but also improve the quality - Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Rakhmanin commented.
Kiev's wrong decision or a pain for Moscow?
Russia's recovery of Kursk means Ukraine will lose its card even on the negotiation table, as soon as US President Donald Trump began negotiating with Moscow on a peace deal. The withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the city of Sudzha on March 16 has further fueled controversy over the value of the operation.
Oleksii Deshevyi, a former supermarket security worker who lost a hand in the battle in Kursk, said frankly: We should not have launched this operation at the start.
However, some people consider this a success. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksander Syrskyi said the operation had killed many elite Russian soldiers and " occasioned a painful blow" on Moscow.
According to the Ukrainian military, the attack forced Russia to mobilize an additional 90,000 soldiers. Ukraine also announced the arrest of nearly 1,000 Russian soldiers and the successful exchange of prisoners.
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the difficult situation in Kursk, but denied President Putin and President Trump's statements that the Ukrainian army was surrounded. Meanwhile, Russia has begun to encroach on Ukraine's Sumy region, possibly preparing for a larger attack.
Viktor Muzhenko, a former Chief of the General Staff of Ukraine, warned since August 2024: Ukraine needs to focus on protecting key territories to avoid risky campaigns that could depart from priority.
Pankova, in her remorse for Pavlo, doubted that any peace deal could help Russia control more Ukrainian land in the future. She is considering joining the army.
