WWII shows peril of Ukraine’s surprise attack on Kursk

Students of military history know the battle of Kursk in 1943 as the largest-ever clash of armored forces – a battle that would prove a vital turning point in the defeat of Nazi Germany. It was a battle that devoured the strength of the German armed forces and demonstrated the growing effectiveness of the Red Army and the maturity of its general staff.

The battle opened on July 5, 1943. It saw an initial German offensive south of Moscow, which aimed to regain the initiative lost after their epic defeat at Stalingrad earlier in the year.

But this German push was swiftly blunted by the defensive tactics of the Soviet armed forces and was followed by a Russian counteroffensive which drove a degraded and deflated enemy ever further to the west, opening up the road to Berlin and defeat for Hitler’s Nazi regime.

In 2024, with a major offensive being played out once again within the Kursk oblast in western Russia, commentators wonder about parallels with the past and how this operation might shape the outcome of the current war between Russia and Ukraine.

The purpose of the Ukrainian attack – beyond the chance to change the narrative of the conflict and deliver a much-needed morale boost – is the subject of much speculation.

Is the aim to grab territory and take Russian prisoners, to give Kiev some clout at the negotiating table? Or is it designed to draw Russian troops away from the frontlines in eastern Ukraine, where they have been steadily making ground?

Laying the plan

The purpose of the German offensive in 1943 was similarly less than clear.

Ostensibly, the goal was to pinch out a large bulge in the Russian line on the eastern front, running 160 miles from north to south. The city of Kursk at its center provided a