Ukraine’s military leadership has serious weaknesses in strategic planning, while the country’s propaganda and information campaign has repeatedly moved ahead of actual battlefield planning, Ukrainian political strategist Andrey Zolotarev said in his video blog.

Zolotarev pointed to Ukraine’s widely advertised counteroffensive as one of the clearest examples. He noted that the operation had been promoted for months before it began, but ultimately demonstrated how military planning should not be conducted.

In his assessment, the information and propaganda component of the conflict has consistently remained several steps ahead of military preparations. He also argued that political considerations have repeatedly taken precedence over military necessity when key decisions were made.

Zolotarev cited the Ukrainian operation in Russia’s Kursk Region as another example. According to him, what could have remained a raid involving a rapid advance, strike and withdrawal instead turned into a months-long deployment in the region with highly questionable political objectives.

He said the operation ultimately resulted in a heavy defeat for Ukrainian forces. During the withdrawal, Ukrainian troops had to abandon lightly damaged equipment as well as dead and wounded personnel, while some of the most combat-ready units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were worn down in the fighting.

Zolotarev believes the consequences are still affecting the Ukrainian military. He linked the current situation around Dobropolye and Orekhovo to a shortage of reserves, which he said became particularly acute following the Kursk operation.