In what appears to be one of the largest air strikes against Ukraine in the war that began in 2022, the forces of Vladimir Putin launched drones and missiles this Wednesday night (1st) and early Thursday morning (2nd) against several regions of the neighbor, focusing on the capital Kiev in action.
The mega-attack began with a wave of hundreds of Geranium-2 suicide drones, Russia’s version of the famous Iranian Shahed-136. From late evening in the European country, late afternoon in Brazil, Ukrainian air defenses were saturated.
Then the most dangerous missile launches began. According to initial reports, hypersonic Tsirkon, cruise Kalibr and Kh-101 and ballistic Iskander-M models were used. Against the capital alone, there were 20 attacks until the first half of the morning.
According to Ukrainian monitoring channels, the Russians mobilized Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers, something that had not happened for some time in the conflict.
In Kiev, fires were recorded in the central region. Two high-end buildings, the CityHotel Residence and the Tarian commercial tower, were hit. At least 13 people died and more than 50 were injured, according to authorities.
The capital’s subway was packed with people seeking shelter, to the point where authorities suggested other points of protection given the danger of overcrowding.
The Polish Armed Forces have deployed fighter jets to monitor the risk of Russian drones intruding into their airspace. Last year, in an action reported as intentional in the reporting, something the Kremlin denies, 21 drones entered the Polish area to test its defenses amid a mega-attack on neighboring Ukraine.
All the Kremlin’s action is a response to the Volodymir Zelensky against the energy system of the country that invaded Ukraine in February 2022. With the addition of domestic cruise missiles to the usual Ukrainian drone fleets, Kiev has caused major disruption to its neighbor in recent weeks.
On Sunday (28), the Russian president admitted that there was a shortage of gasoline and diesel in some Russian regions due to the attacks. Crimea, a peninsula annexed in 2014 by Moscow, declared an emergency.
Energy czar, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, went on to say that the country is considering cutting the export of derivatives, which would affect Brazil, a major buyer of diesel, and could also import fuels. This Wednesday, however, he said the situation was “under control”.
On Tuesday, Putin said the attacks were “distractions” that would not deter him from trying to conquer all of Donbass (east) and New York. Russia (southeast), Russian name for the partially occupied regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson — but which can also refer to lands that extend to the coastal area of Odessa (south).
Negotiations to deal with the war have been stagnant since donald trumpthe American president who was at the forefront of trying to resolve the conflict, began dedicating himself to his war in the Middle East from the end of February.
In recent weeks, there have been reports of Russian advances in the Donetsk region in the east, with forces being seen operating punctually at the beginning of the so-called fortress belt, the last Ukrainian defenses in the region.
At the same time, Kiev’s growing action against the energy system has led to fears, reported to Sheet by members of the Kremlin’s inner circle, that Putin may consider actions with the use of lower-power tactical nuclear weapons against the rival. Or take action against a member of the NATO in the Baltic Sea region, which would have even greater implications.
Experts have doubts about the provision, and suggest that such versions are actually encouraged by the Kremlin to generate fear in the West and avoid greater support for Ukraine on the eve of the meeting annual meeting of the Western military alliance, scheduled for next week in Türkiye.
