The Kremlin makes it clear that it will take the “necessary measures” while statements from the Kiev side remain ambiguous as the Ukrainian side has not taken responsibility for the strikes that occurred in the last 24 hours
By Athena Papakosta
Drone strikes inside Russian territory betray Moscow’s inability to protect its military installations, analysts say. The Kremlin makes it clear that it will take the “necessary measures” while statements from the Kiev side remain ambiguous as the Ukrainian side has not claimed responsibility for the strikes that took place in the last 24 hours hundreds of kilometers away from the Russian-Ukrainian border.
A fire broke out at an air base in Russia’s Kursk region on Tuesday morning. The region in question is located on the border with Ukraine and the local authorities are talking about a drone strike that caused a fuel storage tank to catch fire without, this time and according to the Russian version, causing any casualties.
This is the third blow in a row after two that had been recorded on Monday at two other air bases in central Russia and in particular at the Diaghilev base in the Ryazan province, southeast of Moscow, and at the Engels base in the Saratov province, where Russian bombers capable of carrying out a nuclear attack are stationed. These two attacks, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, caused explosions from the debris of the drones which fell on the bases causing explosions, killing 3 servicemen, injuring four and causing minor damage to two bombers.
The Ukrainians have not taken responsibility for the damage. It’s not something they’re used to, after all. If they ever confirmed that Kiev was behind these attacks then we would be talking openly about the first Ukrainian attack deep inside Russian territory since the war began. Such a thing would be a very important and fatal development for the continuation and course of the war as well as a very embarrassing development for the Russian president himself, as the BBC correspondent reports.
At the same time, the New York Times citing a Ukrainian official noted that these strikes show “the new will” of Kiev to “carry” the war into the heart of Russian territory.
For its part, Washington makes it clear: “We do not allow Ukraine to organize strikes beyond its borders, we do not encourage Ukraine to launch strikes beyond its borders” and underlines that it has not been verified that Kyiv carried out the attacks. Putin convened a meeting of Russia’s Security Council on Tuesday, and analysts believe that Moscow is preparing to charge – albeit indirectly – that the Ukrainians would not have been able to achieve such strikes without Western help and especially without American help. At the same time, the British Ministry of Defense says that Moscow will likely assess the strikes in question, which reached at least 500 kilometers away from the Russian-Ukrainian border, as “some of the most strategically significant failures to protect its forces from the onset of the invasion”.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian morale remains high. The country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, traveled to Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. From Sloviansk he pledged to expel Russian forces from Ukrainian lands. Yesterday was the day of the Armed Forces in Ukraine and he emphasized in a video: “Everyone sees your strength and your skills. I am grateful to your parents. They raised real heroes.”
Although Monday’s missile barrage was the eighth in a row, the Ukrainians have proven particularly effective at quickly repairing damage. Of course, there are millions of citizens who live in the cold and darkness. Those voices that speak of a humanitarian crisis at the door are increasing with many explaining that people will die from the cold. Temperatures in the country have already “sunk” below zero, while the Ukrainian winter is just at its beginning.
As an analyst from The Atlantic Council explained, this war of Putin’s aims to demoralize the Ukrainians, but to lead them to leave the country. The purpose of the Russian president is to create a large wave of refugees which will drown the European Member States so that the current unity between the Europeans begins to weaken. A total of 14 million people have already been displaced from their homes. 7.8 million have left the country while 6.5 million have immigrated within it.
For now the war on the field seems to be stuck in the mud and snow. Neither side has made any notable progress since recapturing Kherson more than a month ago. This southern city remains key for both warring sides. Both Kyiv and Moscow have Crimea in mind since if the Ukrainians manage to strengthen their position in this region which is still being bombed by the Russians – despite the withdrawal of their forces – then Kyiv is putting… bow to the annexed in 2014 Peninsula.
At the moment, Moscow “sees” no prospect of holding peace talks with the Kremlin spokesman reiterating yesterday that “the operation continues until its objectives are achieved”. At the same time, her concern about the new capabilities of the Ukrainian armed forces is growing. And the war continues while on the 24th of the month, Christmas Eve, ten months of fighting will be completed…
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
