Kyiv losing Kursk gains due to US freeze on intelligence

Ukrainian forces are collapsing in a near rout, being driven out of Russia’s Kursk region after being blinded by Washington’s intelligence blackout.

- SAM KILEY

Scenes of Kyiv’s troops mangled, burned and on the run filtering back to the capital have reinforced distrust of America and Russia.

Now comes the proposed ceasefire, seen as a short-term tactical necessity because it has been traded for Donald Trump’s agreement to turn the intelligence taps back on.

“We’re not delighted but we are realistic. A ceasefire agreement from us at least means that we are back talking to the Americans and they have given us access to the intelligence we need. Kursk shows what happens when we don’t have it,” said a senior ministerial adviser.

Ukraine’s forces have come under sustained and accurate attacks by aircraft, artillery and drones combined with largescale infantry assaults by elite Russian units and North Korean troops.

The imminent loss of the Kursk salient, the only slice of Russian territory held by Ukraine (which has lost about 20 per cent of its lands to the Kremlin’s forces since the country was first attacked in 2014) is a massive blow to Ukraine.