Ukraine: powerless against Russian missiles?
The early hours of Thursday morning saw a new barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on the Kyiv metropolitan area in which 16 people were killed. President Volodmyr Zelensky has urged Western partners to provide swift assistance with air defence. Meanwhile, Ukraine is sending salvoes of drones into Russia. According to the mayor of Moscow, as many as 620 drones hit the capital region on Tuesday night.
Putin targeting gas supplies
La Stampa analyses Russia's air warfare strategy:
“Last year, Moscow waited until autumn to escalate the 'cold war'. This time it has started in the middle of summer. Thirteen attacks on Naftogaz within seven days – this suggests that the battle for the coming winter has begun prematurely. Putin is in a hurry: striking now means depriving Ukraine not of the gas it is currently consuming, but of the gas it is trying to extract and store for when winter sets in. It is a favourable opportunity that may not last long – especially since the Ukrainian defenders are running out of anti-aircraft weapons right now. That is why the Kremlin is stepping up the pace.”
Harsh winter ahead
Kyiv urgently needs support against ballistic missile attacks, Helsingin Sanomat stresses:
“Vladimir Putin appears to be convinced that Russia will win, that Ukraine will collapse, and that it is worth continuing the war. Russia does not want to talk about peace. Western leaders must realise that decisions left unmade will eventually come back to haunt them. This has happened yet again. Ukraine faces a harsh winter during which it will need additional support. At the same time, Europe must also take urgent action to ensure its own defence capabilities against ballistic missiles.”
Half-hearted help
The West must do much more, if only to help Ukraine defend itself, argues Trouw:
“President Trump promised the country a licence to manufacture its own Patriot missiles. In practice, however, this hasn't happened, allegedly because the American defence industry is lobbying against it out of fear of Ukrainian competition. This is shameful and indicative of our half-hearted stance: we are giving Ukraine enough support to avoid defeat but too little to secure victory. Support for Ukraine should be far more unconditional, particularly at this critical time.”
Counterattacks are changing life in Russia
The war is now having a tangible impact on the everyday lives of Russians, notes La Repubblica:
“The swarms of Ukrainian drones are not crippling the Kremlin's war machine. Generally speaking, the destructive power of these guided bombs is limited – between 10 and 25 kilograms of explosives – meaning they can only inflict serious damage on targets containing flammable materials: refineries, fuel depots, logistics warehouses filled with cardboard and plastic. The damage inflicted on mechanical or electronic factories is more limited, and hardly ever permanent. ... The impact is mainly psychological: the war is now permeating life in Russian cities, from the Baltic to the Urals, and is set to spread even further.”