Russia: Ukraine's Incursion Into Kursk Aided by NATO Countries

Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region was prepared together with the participation of intelligence from the United States, Britain and Poland, the newspaper Izvestia reported on Wednesday, citing Russia's foreign intelligence agency.

Ukraine launched its surprise strike on the Russian region on Aug. 6, the largest invasion of Russia since World War II, in an operation that Kyiv says is aimed at carving out a buffer zone and wearing down Russia's war machine.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces operation in the Kursk region was prepared with the participation of the U.S., UK and Polish intelligence services," Izvestia cited the Foreign Intelligence Service as saying.

"The units involved in it underwent combat coordination in training centers in the UK and Germany."

The Foreign Intelligence Service told Izvestia that it had "reliable information" on its assertions, but did not provide any evidence.

The White House has said previously that the United States had no advance notice from Kyiv that it planned a military incursion into Kursk.

As Russia continues to advance in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have captured 488 square miles of Kursk territory including 93 settlements — figures that Reuters could not independently verify.