Since then, Russia has greatly escalated its military campaign. Beginning on Friday, the country has made good on that threat with a hailstorm of nightly drone strikes targeting cities across Ukraine. The aerial bombardments have only escalated, and as of this week they continue unabated. Nowhere in the U.S. are casualties from hundreds of drones more apparent than through the continuous, tragic deaths of civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin is intensifying his aggression in the context of a complicated international landscape. This move comes in the context of stinging critiques from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Monday night, Russian forces used a shocking 355 Shahed drones in a combined attack on Ukraine. In addition, they launched nine cruise missiles, their most powerful attack so far. This has been called Russia’s largest air raid of three years of war. The strikes shocked Ukrainian officials. In light of the aerial attacks and continued violence, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy specifically requested that the world impose strong sanctions on Russia and isolate them completely.
Their aerial offensive, unleashed this past spring, has been met with extensive, widespread destruction. Tragically, at least six people have lost their lives before the third night of bombing, which has gone on for 24 hours. The impact of this renewed assault has been especially acute in the northern province of Zhytomyr. At least 12 non-combatants have been killed, three of them as-yet innocent children—just as among the civilians.
When those attacks occurred, millions of civilians in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine ran for their lives to shelters and subway stations. They took shelter in bunkers, metro stations, and basements. The violence unfortunately overshadowed Kyiv Day, a local celebration that usually attracts outpourings of joy and civic pride. Rather, weary, terrified civilians huddled in the face of the withering assault.
In recent weeks, Russia has dramatically accelerated its domestic production of drones like the Shahed. This shift is a strategic achievement, moving from dependence on Iranian supplies. It represents a significant move in the direction of an independent, self-reliant, indigenous aerial warfare capabilities. Analysts suggest that this increase in drone production reflects Russia’s commitment to sustaining its military operations for the foreseeable future.
On the one hand, despite the continued active hostilities, President Putin has seemed to walk a delicate line publicly on his call for negotiating peace with Ukraine. All of his terms appear aimed at restoring the subjective, if not legally binding, pre-conditions that would result in Ukraine’s de facto surrender. It is this duality in strategy that further exemplifies the challenge to create a meaningful dialogue in good faith between the two countries.
Amidst these developments, Trump’s remarks describing Putin as “crazy” have not resonated within Russian state media, which largely ignored the former president’s statements. The absence of coverage reflects that Russian authorities are clearly succeeding in suppressing and shaping the narrative. Their objectives are to disregard outside condemnation and to stop representations of their governing as unhinged.
Western intelligence estimates suggest that Putin’s goal is to make military operations last at least through this year. It’s the only way the Kremlin can really resupply their weapons and sustain their military campaign. Perhaps most importantly, this readiness demonstrates that Russia is preparing for a long war. We fear this escalation leads to even more dramatic escalations and suffering of civilians in Ukraine.