Russia Intensifies Missile and Drone Attacks Against Ukraine

What Happened?

Russia has intensified its air campaign against Ukraine during the past several weeks, sending several large waves of missiles and drones against Kyiv. Yesterday in the most recent attack, Russia launched nearly four hundred drones and missiles against Ukraine’s capital, resulting in seven dead and dozens of injuries. 

In addition to the intensifying attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratcheted up the rhetoric as well, claiming this week that ‘all of Ukraine is ours.’ Ukrainian President Zelenskyy will be in London, England this week to seek additional military supplies and support from the United States and other NATO countries.

Why it Matters

Russia’s increasing attacks on Ukraine and accompanying rhetoric indicate the Russian summer offensive, which began in May, has intensified. Brutally cold temperatures and persistently bad weather make combat operations more difficult in the fall and winter. Both Russia and Ukraine thus far have tended to save any major new efforts for spring and summer, which is now. 

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces are currently engaged in intense combat operations along most of the frontline in Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhia Oblasts. And appear to be prioritizing offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast - as they have since October 2023. An oblast is an administrative area in both Russia and Ukraine, similar in size and function to a U.S. state. 

The recent push by Russian forces along with eastern most sections of Ukraine represent a struggle to gain territory that Russia has sought since the initial invasion in 2022. Along with the ground campaign, Russia’s missile attacks on Kyiv and rhetoric are likely intended to demoralize and intimidate the people of Ukraine, with the goal of reducing their will to fight. Thus far, it appears Russia’s tactics have produced the exact opposite result, with Ukrainians signaling more than ever that even though they are war weary, they have no plans to abandon the fight anytime soon.

Increasing strikes on Kyiv while President Zelenskyy is abroad are also probably designed to try to knock out Ukraine’s government while its leader is away. Ukraine’s government has continued to operate despite Russian attacks for three years now, so the likelihood of Russia achieving this objective appears to be low. 

European leaders have been more willing to pledge more military aid to Ukraine than the United States this year. And the increase in Russian attacks is also likely a message to Europe that Russia has no plans to stop fighting either.

How it Affects You

Even as Russia publicly condemned the U.S. strikes on Iran, it has continued to carry out more strikes of its own on Ukraine. Russia would probably like to see the U.S. engulfed in another war in the Middle East since that would draw American attention away from Ukraine.