Successful strikes by Ukraine deep inside Russia are causing the Kremlin to grow nervous and intensify pressure on Ukraine.
Volodymyr Putin / © Associated Press
Ukrainian strikes on targets deep within Russian territory are increasingly unsettling the Kremlin and may be one of the reasons for the intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine.
This opinion was expressed by former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the USA, and now Executive Director of Vandenberg Coalition, Kerry Phillips, according to Fox News.
According to her, over the past year, Ukraine has significantly expanded the geography of its strikes on Russian territory, approaching areas near Moscow and St. Petersburg.
“Their successes on the military front have led to Russians panicking and actively increasing attacks within Ukraine,” Phillips stated.
She added that Vladimir Putin reacts particularly sharply when he feels a loss of control, and strikes on civilian infrastructure may be an attempt to pressure Ukrainian society and weaken its will to resist.
Ukraine Escalates Long-Range Strikes
Recently, Ukraine has continued to target Russian economic and logistical infrastructure. Specifically, strikes were reported on warehouses associated with major Russian companies Wildberries and Ozon.
Kyiv emphasizes that long-range strikes are necessary to disrupt Russia’s logistics and military capabilities.
Phillips believes that Russia is attempting to exhaust Ukraine on three fronts simultaneously – personnel, equipment, and morale. At the same time, she estimates, the territorial gains of the Russian army remain limited.
“Independence Day is a truly important moment for Ukraine’s allies to show that we are not losing momentum, that we continue to support their operations, and continue to support their sovereignty. However, any large public gatherings, especially to demonstrate patriotism and support for the Ukrainian state, increase security risks,” she said.
She also stated that Russia loses more soldiers each month than it can recruit, forcing it to engage foreign fighters.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued further aggressive threats against Ukraine, promising to increase the intensity and severity of air strikes. The Russian dictator called this a “response step” to the large-scale attacks by Ukrainian forces on oil refineries and major logistics centers of marketplaces within the Russian Federation.
It is worth noting that ISW previously wrote that Putin can no longer hide the losses from the war and Ukrainian long-range strikes, forcing him to publicly acknowledge Russia’s economic problems and the destruction of logistical facilities such as Wildberries warehouses. Amid inflation, shortages, and approaching State Duma elections, trust in propaganda is declining, and the dictator is trying to justify himself to society, but demonstrates a loss of control over the totalitarian narrative.
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