The Russians are in trouble. Ukraine’s offensive continues. Putin’s army has lost territories it has already conquered.
According to its own statements, Ukraine was able to recapture more than 400 square kilometers of territory in the Kherson region within days. Since early October, the troops have “liberated” this area in the south of the country, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian military command South, Natalia Gumenchyuk, said two weeks ago.
Airborne attacks have been going on for days. Most recently in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Iranian kamikaze drones were deployed. There is apparently a “strategic bombing” behind this, defense and Russia expert Gustav Gressel (43) of the European Council on Foreign Relations ECFR said on Wednesday. ECFR podcast.
depleting the civilian population in Ukraine
Russian head of state Vladimir Putin (70) said the attacks were a reaction to the explosion of the Crimean bridge, for which he blamed the Ukrainian secret service.
The Russian army carried out numerous rocket attacks on Ukrainian cities on Monday. For the first time in months, rockets have fallen in the capital Kiev and the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. The attacks sparked international outrage. At least 19 people have been killed and more than 100 injured, according to Ukrainian sources. The attacks continued on Tuesday.
But it’s about more than revenge. The air strikes are also intended to exhaust the civilian population in Ukraine. Because: The energy supply infrastructure in particular was the target. The result: countless power cuts. Sometimes the electricity supply in Ukraine was rationed.
Defense systems promised for Ukraine
After the massive Russian attacks in recent days, Ukrainian utility Ukrenergo announced on Thursday that energy supplies in “all Ukrainian regions” were stable again. The company added that it was no longer necessary to ration the electricity supply.
In view of the series of Russian air strikes, the Ukrainian allies want to make additional defense systems available as soon as possible. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (69) said on Wednesday after a meeting of the 30 NATO countries with some 20 other partners in the Ukraine contact group that the states would “do everything in their power”.
The US plans to supply Ukraine with eight modern Nasam air defense systems. The first two will arrive in the country in the coming weeks. However, six more are yet to be produced. According to US information, Washington is therefore considering sending Cold War-era Hawk systems to Ukraine in the meantime. (jmh/AFP)