In a significant escalation of hostilities, an oil terminal at Feodosia in the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula caught fire following an attack by Ukrainian drones. NASA’s Modis fire detection satellite service reported significant heat signatures in and around the terminal. This finding highlights the brutality of the attack. Indeed, Ukraine’s anti-Kremlin sabotage and guerrilla warfare in Russia is one element of Kyiv’s new target Ukraine’s strategy to cripple the Kremlin’s financing of its war.
Since the beginning of August, Ukraine has conducted more than 30 strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. The objective of these operations is clear: to disrupt the financial resources that support Russia’s military efforts and to instigate an increase in petrol prices within the country. This tactical move is designed to erode Russia’s ability to fund its continued military onslaught in Ukraine.
Amid these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to travel to the United States for discussions on potential long-range weapons provision. In a separate statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he might supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, which could significantly enhance Ukraine’s operational capabilities.
Midweek, Russian forces picked up the pace and resumed advancing on Ukraine. In addition to continuing attacks with guided bombs on Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, this caused cuts in electricity for about 30,000 customers. According to the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, three of these bombs destroyed a children’s hospital and hit power transmission lines. The shooting wounded four people, mostly from shattering glass.
On Thursday, Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have seized control of two Ukrainian villages in the country’s east. One village is in Donetskka oblast, the other is near Kupiansk in the northeast. So it is that fears about what Russia is up to have been echoed by scores of alarmed international figures.
The head of Germany’s foreign intelligence, Martin Jaeger, has sounded the alarm. He said that Russia is a direct threat to Europe, and warned that today’s tensions could spark a direct military confrontation. He emphasized the need for vigilance regarding Russia’s tactics:
“We are already under fire today … The means Moscow uses are well known: attempted manipulation of elections and public opinion, propaganda, provocations, disinformation, espionage, sabotage, airspace violations by drones and fighter jets, contract killings, persecution of opposition figures living abroad.” – Martin Jaeger
Jaeger noted that the threat is not a distant concern:
“We must not sit back and assume that a possible Russian attack would come in 2029 at the earliest.” – Martin Jaeger
The European Union has moved towards accountability for Russia’s unlawful acts. They have opened up funding for a special international tribunal. This tribunal will hold President Vladimir Putin and other high-level Russian officials accountable for their aggression against the people of Ukraine.
Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, appealed to her EU member state counterparts earlier this week for more support. She stressed that this support is vital to the tribunal’s effective functioning. She stated:
“We are also calling on other member states, countries, participants to fund it so that the work can really start full-scale because without accountability there is no just and lasting peace.” – Kaja Kallas
As both sides prepare for what promises to be a protracted struggle, the ground situation is still volatile and uncertain. International observers are closely tracking developments as military hostilities still persist and as peaceful, diplomatic efforts play out.