Former Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren has commended Ukraine’s military for its innovative and effective operations in its ongoing conflict with Russia, singling out the recent operation in the Kursk Oblast as a shining example of military excellence. Ollongren made her remarks during the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum, where she emphasized that the global military community should learn from Ukraine’s experience, particularly the operational brilliance demonstrated in Kursk.
Ollongren stated that the strategies and tactics employed by Ukrainian forces during the incursion into Kursk Oblast were of such caliber that they would one day be studied in military academies around the world.
“It was brilliantly organized: the tactics, secrecy, and use of various systems. I think it will in the future be studied in all school textbooks and military academies worldwide,” she remarked during an interview with the Ukrainian news outlet, LIGA.net.
The former defense minister also challenged the often-dominant notion of respecting Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s “red lines,” asserting that these perceived boundaries are more psychological than real military threats.
“Any red lines drawn by Putin only exist in our heads,” she added, insisting that the global community must not allow itself to be constrained by Putin’s narratives or the fear of escalation.
Ukraine’s Military Ingenuity on Full Display
Ollongren’s praise came at a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s war against Russian aggression. Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s southern Kursk region, launched on August 6, 2024, marked a significant development in the conflict, surprising many observers and altering the dynamics of the battlefield. The operation opened a new front in the war, demonstrating Ukraine’s ability to conduct bold, decisive maneuvers despite being outnumbered and facing a formidable Russian military machine.
The Kursk incursion also marked Ukraine’s first major strategic success since the liberation of Kherson in November 2022. This latest counteroffensive has provided a much-needed morale boost for Ukraine’s military and its citizens, both of whom had faced the disappointment of the underwhelming 2023 counteroffensive, which had failed to deliver the decisive breakthroughs Kyiv had initially anticipated.
According to Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of Kyiv’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, the Kursk operation had several objectives, including relieving pressure on Ukrainian forces in other parts of the front and creating a buffer zone around Sumy, a key eastern city near the Russian border.
“The key was to disrupt Russian logistics and weaken their grip on the region, while demonstrating that Ukraine is capable of offensive operations on Russian soil,” Merezhko explained.
A Model of Military Innovation
What sets the Kursk operation apart, according to Ollongren, is not just its surprise factor but the military innovation and creativity on display. She emphasized that Ukraine’s ingenuity in using unmanned systems and leveraging mobile, decentralized tactics has been crucial to its success in outmaneuvering Russian forces, who continue to rely on more traditional and resource-heavy strategies.
Ukraine’s defense industry has played a pivotal role in this innovation, particularly in the development and deployment of unmanned systems. Ukrainian military forces have employed a range of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles in their operations, including drone swarms that disrupt Russian supply lines, gather intelligence, and even carry out precision strikes.
“Ukraine’s creativity in military innovation, particularly in unmanned systems, has been nothing short of remarkable,” Ollongren said. “Their ability to adapt quickly to the realities of modern warfare, despite facing an enemy with greater resources, shows the resilience and intelligence of their military leadership.”
Ollongren also stressed the importance of continued international military cooperation with Ukraine. She acknowledged that while Ukraine has received vital military support from Western nations, the flow of information and strategies has gone both ways. Ukraine’s intimate knowledge of Russian military operations, tactics, and rhetoric has provided valuable insights for other nations to understand how Moscow conducts warfare.
“Ukraine has shared incredibly valuable lessons about how Russia fights, lessons that will be crucial for other countries, not just in this conflict but in any future engagements where Russia might be involved,” Ollongren noted.
As part of its commitment to aiding Ukraine, the Netherlands has provided several critical military assets. This includes a radar system for the Patriot air defense system and plans to deliver additional launchers to bolster Ukraine’s defenses. On September 24, the Dutch government announced a new aid package worth €209.5 million, which will help restore Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, further demonstrating the Netherlands’ ongoing support for Ukraine’s war effort.
Reflecting on the broader conflict, Ollongren urged Ukraine’s allies to remain steadfast in their support, noting that joint ventures between Dutch and Ukrainian defense companies could help bolster both nations’ military capabilities. She added that learning from Ukraine’s resilience and adaptability will be key for Europe’s defense posture in the future.
Kursk: A Turning Point in the War
Ukraine’s bold move into Kursk was not just a tactical win but a strategic one, signaling a shift in the course of the war. The operation came at a time when many in Moscow had grown confident that Ukraine’s defeat was inevitable. Russian officials had been promoting a narrative that their forces would slowly grind Ukraine into submission by leveraging their superior military and economic resources.
The Kremlin’s propaganda machine had suggested that, over time, the war would wear down both Ukraine’s forces and the international community’s willingness to continue supporting Kyiv. Russia’s goal appeared to be to foster a sense of inevitability about Ukraine’s downfall, hoping that Kyiv would eventually surrender.
However, the success of the Kursk operation has challenged this narrative. Ukrainian forces not only executed a brilliant military maneuver, but they also demonstrated that Russia’s advantages in numbers and resources are not insurmountable.
“The Kursk operation has given Ukraine a much-needed morale boost and showed that the Russian military is not invincible,” said Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Defense and Security Council. “Before this, it felt like Ukraine’s efforts were moving too slowly. But Kursk has shifted the momentum.”
Lytvynenko explained that Russia’s advances in other areas of the front had previously seemed relentless, with Russian forces gaining a few hundred meters of territory each day. However, Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Kursk changed the trajectory of the conflict, forcing Russia to reallocate resources and adapt to a new front.
While the Kursk incursion represents a tactical victory for Ukraine, converting it into a broader strategic win will depend on several factors. Chief among them is the continued backing from Ukraine’s international allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized the importance of military aid, particularly the need for long-range weapons that can strike deep into Russian-held territory.
Speaking on August 17, 11 days after the Kursk operation began, Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s allies to remove the barriers that prevent Kyiv from fully leveraging its forces. He stressed that without adequate military supplies, including long-range precision weapons, Ukraine’s ability to maintain its momentum could be compromised.
In addition to military challenges, Ukraine also faces the enormous task of maintaining economic stability and diplomatic support while rebuilding its armed forces. The country’s resilience and determination have been key factors in its success so far, but the question remains whether these efforts will be enough to sustain international aid, particularly as global attention shifts and the U.S. election in 2024 approaches.
Despite the success of the Kursk operation, the situation on the ground remains fluid. Russia has responded to the incursion with increased military pressure in other regions, and Russian forces have made advances in some areas, complicating Ukraine’s broader counteroffensive. The war remains unpredictable, and while Ukraine has scored a significant victory in Kursk, it still faces many obstacles in its fight against Russia’s vast military resources.
Nonetheless, the Kursk operation has reshaped the narrative of the war and provided Ukraine with a significant boost at a crucial time. It serves as a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of Ukraine’s military and its ability to outmaneuver a larger and better-equipped adversary.
As Ollongren highlighted in her remarks, the global military community has much to learn from Ukraine’s experience, and the lessons from the Kursk operation will likely reverberate in military academies for years to come.
“Ukraine’s creativity, resilience, and adaptability in this war have been extraordinary,” Ollongren concluded. “The world must pay attention, because the way Ukraine is fighting today will shape the way wars are fought in the future.”
