On the Afghan battlefield, after a series of bitter struggles, the British Army successfully defeated the main force of the Afghan Government Army.
On July 16, 1888, after suffering more than three thousand casualties, the British Army successfully captured Kabul, forcing the remnants of the Afghan government to retreat into the Hindu Kush Mountains.
Having finally won this great victory, the British no longer kept it under wraps. The London Government immediately issued an announcement to the outside world.
Watching the British flaunt their achievements, Franz felt troubled as well. This outcome was far too unexpected—the Afghan government had not even held out for half a year.
The British had already occupied Kabul, while the Russians were still locked in fierce battle with the Central Asian Khanates. Once the British Army punched through Afghanistan and linked up directly with the Central Asian Khanates, the Russians' subsequent war would become much harder to fight.
This was completely different from the original plan. Franz had originally hoped that Afghanistan could hold out a little longer, allowing the Russians to push their front all the way to British India and give the British a proper jolt.
Without that jolt, the London Government would most likely not go all out in a fight to the death with the Russians. It was very possible that they would stop after occupying Afghanistan.
As for the three Central Asian Khanates, they would likely be rescued if possible; if not, it was not impossible for Britain to sell them out and compromise with the Russians.
Perhaps in the years to come, Afghanistan would become a heavy burden for the British, but the Russians would not be weakened by very much.
It was best not to let an aggressively expansionist ally like the Russian Empire grow too strong, or