Chaotic Night in Kyiv: Ukraine Experiences Intense Drone and Missile Assault - Revenge Attack Plausible?
Ukraine registers over 400 shellings in a single night - contemplates retaliation?
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The streets of Kyiv lit up with explosions overnight, as Russia engaged in an unprecedented wave of drone and missile attacks against Ukraine. Various news sources reported heavy assaults on the capital and Western cities, resulting in multiple casualties. According to "The Kyiv Independent," at least four people were killed and 20 others injured in the capital, as confirmed by Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Air raid alerts were set across all Ukrainian regions.
Ukrainian Air Force alleges that several Russian bombers took off, set to launch cruise missiles. Numerous blasts were recorded in numerous cities, although the credibility of these reports is yet to be verified. As stated in the morning report by the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia utilized 407 combat drones, 6 ballistic missiles, and 39 cruise missiles throughout the night. Whilst 235 projectiles, including four missiles, were reportedly shot down, and an additional 171 likely fallen due to electronic air defense measures.
"Most Intense Air Assault on Our Region Yet"
Apart from Kyiv, Western cities such as Lutsk and Ternopil were also targeted. "Today, the enemy launched the most intense air attack on our region to date," Vyacheslav Negoda, Ternopil's military administration head, stated. Emergency services were dispatched to extinguish fires and evaluate damage. In Lutsk, five people were harmed in the attack, according to official reports. Numerous private homes had shattered windows, and several educational institutions and an administrative building were injured, as reported by Mayor Ihor Polischchuk on Telegram. Additionally, numerous buildings and vehicles were damaged in the western city of Khmelnytskyi, according to the Khmelnytskyi region governor.
It remains uncertain whether this relentless onslaught is the anticipated large-scale revenge attack launched by Russia, following the recent Ukrainian strike on Russian bomber squadrons. The weekend's raid, led by Ukraine's intelligence service, successfully crippled several Russian military airfields from which frequent attacks against Ukraine were launched. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enthusiastically acclaimed the initiative, dubbing it as "the most significant operation of the war so far."
Damaging Blows to the Russian Bomber Fleet
Ukraine claims that over 40 warplanes, valued at a grand total of $7 billion, were destroyed in the attacks, including an Irkutsk airbase bomber in distant Siberia. Russia reportedly lost 34% of its strategic bomber fleet capable of launching cruise missiles as a result of these attacks. However, satellite images released by the U.S. do not confirm this exact count; they do indicate destruction or damage to certain Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers belonging to Russia’s nuclear deterrence force.
The Russian military, on the other hand, acknowledged only a few damaged aircraft in Murmansk and Irkutsk. They characterized the strikes on these bases as a terrorist act. After the embarrassing home turf assault, the Kremlin initially remained silent. Putin's anger was first expressed by U.S. President Donald Trump, following his phone call with Putin. Trump stated that Putin had "clearly expressed" that he must retaliate for the Ukrainian attacks.
Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov also hinted at potential retaliation for the blows against the bomber fleet. He stated that Russia's response would occur at a time and in a manner that "our military deems necessary."
Source: ntv.de, chl/dpa/AFP
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- In light of the ongoing conflict and recent events, it would be interesting to discuss the potential impact of Russia's economic and monetary union on its ability to sustain and escalate war-and-conflicts, given its apparent economic losses due to the recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian bomber squadrons.
- As the economic and monetary union of the European Union includes several countries that have been providing political and economic support to Ukraine, it would be worth considering the global political implications if Russia were to retaliate in a significant way, especially considering the damage done to its bomber fleet as reported in the general news.
