ZeroHedge -- the Russian propaganda outlet. LOL While Russia has focused on attacking in Kursk in recent days to take back territory in advance of any ceasefire and have managed to recapture Sudzha -- there is no general Ukrainian withdrawal from Kursk
Yep, Ukraine is retreating from Kursk for sure. They have some stalling troops but that's about it. A hypothesis I read is that (together with the supply situation) the territory had shrunk to such a narrow width that there are no safe areas from drone attacks anymore (FPV drones operational range ~20 km), making it impossible to stay.
The article is written around a tweet from the Russian correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, Yaroslav Trofimov. It is not quoting the Wall Street Journal. You really should actually read the propaganda crap you post before trying to define what it is saying.
They are withdrawing from a couple of towns within Kursk where the Russians were attacking because it made tactical sense to do so. They are not withdrawing from all of Kursk. Certainly Russia has made significant gains in Kursk over recent days -- they have committed significant resources to their military attack efforts in Kursk to dislodge the Ukrainians. Why is this important? The Russians want a peace agreement put in place where they will be allowed to hold all of eastern Ukraine and claim it as part of Russia. This is hard to do while Ukraine is holding part of Russia and can use Kursk as a bargaining chip. Russia very much needs to remove the Ukrainians from Kursk in order to improve their position in peace negotiations.
Worth adding that Russia is out of steam elsewhere and Ukraine is doing some successful (if small) tactical offensive operations on the eastern front lately. Like you say Putler really needs Kursk oblast back for a multitude of scenarios: proclaiming a victory for domestic purposes, suggesting a border freeze, cutting out Ukrainian bargaining chips in negotiations, etc.
Obviously gwb Nazi trading is correct Thea are not withdrawing, they are running, all equipment left, and 80-90% are killed trying to escape