Moscow drone attacks are a morale booster for Ukraine and a warning for Russia – here's why
Though widely sensationalised as a major attack against the heart of the Russian government, they caused only minor damage, mostly to high-rise buildings.
- Though widely sensationalised as a major attack against the heart of the Russian government, they caused only minor damage, mostly to high-rise buildings.
- In early May, Russia alleged that Ukraine had targeted President Putin with a drone strike, which Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, promptly denied.
- And Ukraine is thought to have been behind a series of drone strikes against airbases in Russia’s Kursk, Saratov and Ryazan regions, up to 300 miles inside Russian territory.
- There have also been drone strikes against Russian oil pipelines and refineries including near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, a crucial oil export hub for Russia.
Intensifying air war
- First, it suggests that at the moment, there is a lull in the ground war and an intensification of the air war.
- The costs of the intensifying air war are particularly borne by Ukraine, which has endured daily waves of drone and missile attacks since then, including on its capital Kyiv.
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Ukraine war: Zelensky's diplomatic tour has improved the ground for a fresh military offensive – but it needs to come soon
Deportation plans
- Defences against an expected Ukrainian offensive have been massively fortified along the around 1,000km of frontline and along the beaches of Crimea.
- On April 27, Putin signed a decree that forces residents in the occupied territories either to accept Russian citizenship or become stateless.
- This is most likely an attempt to withstand Ukrainian pressure during Kyiv’s anticipated offensive until it runs out of steam.
Ukraine’s message to Russia
- The drone strikes on Moscow can be seen as preparations for that.
- In attacking deep inside Russia, these strikes will also force Russia to keep air defences close to symbolically and strategically important assets, rather than deploying them closer to the frontline with Ukraine.
- The attacks also send a message to the Russian people that the “special military operation” is making them less, not more, secure.