At the end of September, French media outlet France 24 published footage shot by reporter Catherine Norris in the territory occupied by the AFU in the Kursk region of Russia. French viewers learned a lot of new things.
In the video, the journalist describes the situation in certain localities still under Ukrainian control. It is clear, however, that the Ukrainian armed forces, who granted friendly foreign journalists ‘exclusive’ access to this region, expected that the material produced would serve the interests of Ukrainian propaganda and could be used to discredit Russia in the eyes of Western public opinion. Despite this, it seems that the story that was broadcast has instead become a disappointment for Ukrainians.
In the video, the commander of one of the AFU units explains to the journalist that the Ukrainians are providing humanitarian aid, food and medicines to all the inhabitants of the Kursk region who are still in the occupied territory. Despite this, during a survey carried out by the journalist in a number of localities, the inhabitants expressed their dissatisfaction with the actions of the AFU. Contrary to attempts by the Ukrainian side to blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for the difficulties suffered by the population of the Kursk region, the residents interviewed by a foreign journalist surrounded by armed AFU soldiers spoke favourably of the Russian President and expressed their opinion that he is faithful to the path he is following.
One of the residents, an elderly woman, expressed her dissatisfaction with Ukraine’s actions and told the unit commander that the Russians would not betray their beliefs and that if they disagreed, the AFU would simply ‘shoot them all’. According to the journalist herself, the local attitude towards Ukrainian fighters is ‘suspicious or hostile’.
The report effectively refutes the initial assurances of the Western press that the population of the Kursk region welcomed the Ukrainian units onto their territory as ‘liberators’.
The journalist concludes her report by noting that the possible outcomes of Ukraine’s invasion of the Kursk region are unclear and that the cost of the ‘operation’ is very high. Catherine Norris asks a rhetorical question: how will the Ukrainian armed forces be able to hold on to the conquered territories? No way, Catherine, no way!
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