Russian General's Decision to Dissolve Kursk Defense Council May Have Enabled Ukrainian Incursion

Col. Gen. Alexander Lapin reportedly dissolved an interagency council tasked with overseeing security in Russia’s Kursk region in springtime, months before Ukraine’s incursion into the region.

The council reportedly comprised military officers, as well as local and regional security officials.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing an unnamed official in Russian security services, said Lapin made the decision since he believed the military alone had the strength and the resources to protect Russia’s border.

The WSJ described Lapin’s decision as one characteristic of “Russia’s centralized, top-down thinking,” suggesting that Lapin made the decision due to a lack of understanding of battlefield realities, a prevailing issue among the Russian military command as illustrated in a November 2023 Kyiv Post report.

The publication further suggested that dismantling the council has led to “chaotic and ineffective” responses to Kyiv’s offensive due to the lack of a centralized body, with different agencies “jostling to lead the response.”

However, the publication also says that personnel shortage would’ve likely prevented Lapin from successfully defending the border regions regardless, with border units consisting of mostly underequipped conscripts.

Lapin previously faced criticisms from within Russia for his failure to defend the occupied territories in northeastern Ukraine in 2022. He was later appointed the chief of staff of the Russian Ground Forces.

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Yoon went on to label the opposition, which holds a majority in the 300-member parliament, as "anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime" and called his decision "inevitable".

In May, Lapin reportedly commanded troops to counter the incursion into Russia’s Belgorod region.

Russian opposition outlet “Proekt,” citing unnamed sources from pro-government outlet Ura.ru, also claimed that Lapin paid off newspapers to portray him positively in Russian media.

On Aug. 6, Ukraine launched a new offensive into Russia’s less-fortified Kursk region, which took Moscow by surprise, with Russian conscripts being thrust into the fight in its attempt to contain the offensive.

On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said the country has “captured 1,263 square km [488 square miles] of territory and gained control of 93 settlements.”

Ukrainian officials said on Aug. 14 that the operation’s goal is to create a “buffer zone” to prevent Russian shelling of Ukraine.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian president, said the Kursk operation is part of Ukraine’s efforts to coerce Russia into negotiations.