So far, Ukraine’s defenses against the Russian war of aggression have been limited to domestic military targets. Several indicators now indicate that targets in Russia are also being targeted.
Since the expansion of the Russian war of aggression, Ukraine has resisted the invaders militarily. So far, however, the counterattacks have only been carried out against domestic targets – the nearby Russian territory has been spared from attacks. There are several indications that this could now change – or has already changed.
▸ Note 1: British Defense Secretary James Heappey told British media this week that Ukrainian forces with British weapons could also attack Russian areas. With his statement (“it is perfectly legitimate for Ukraine to attack targets in Russia”), he gave the Ukrainians the diplomatic green light to do so. His boss Boris Johnson underlined this with the words: “You are being attacked from Russian territory. You have a right to protect and defend yourself.”
▸ Note 2: There have been several fires and serious incidents in close proximity to the Ukrainian border this week. Oil depots in Bryansk (about 300 kilometers from Ukraine) burned on Monday night. On Wednesday night, an ammunition depot near Belgorod (only around 20 kilometers inland) went up in flames. Surveillance video shows missiles launched before the fire and there was an explosion in the night sky – likely the Russian anti-aircraft response to enemy missile attacks.
According to the governor there, an unmanned drone was sighted and shot down in the Russian region of Voronezh on Wednesday morning. Voronezh is around 180 kilometers from Ukraine, the capital of the region is one of the largest cities in the country.
▸ Hint 3: Russia is becoming more nervous, warned this week via Foreign Minister Lavrov of a “Third World War” and threatened to attack command posts in the capital Kyiv again – even if “Western advisers” were present there. Possible background: Russia notices the increasing danger for its own country and wants to prevent attacks and assaults with intimidation and threats. The Russian side even called James Heappey’s statement a “direct provocation of the Kiev regime by London” and threatened an “appropriate response.”
For Ukraine, the targets in Russia are strategically interesting in several respects: Troops and material are still being transferred to Ukraine from Russia. Disrupting this supply and hampering Russian organization can give Ukraine a useful edge on its own territory. At the same time, the fires are a signal for the Russian population that they are not invulnerable and that the enemy is stronger than officially known.
Sources: dpa, , , “Interfax”
Source: Stern
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