- Zelensky urges Russia to experience the consequences of conflict:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared the recent drone strikes by his forces on Russian targets as necessary. "The terrorist state needs to feel the consequences of waging war," Zelensky stated in his evening video address. Ukrainian combat drones had launched attacks on Russian soil throughout the night on Saturday, including in Moscow's capital. Planning personnel in Kyiv are now working to expand the range of Ukrainian weapons to target Russian military facilities, logistics, and crucial parts of their military economy.
The relentless assaults on Ukrainian cities, particularly civilian targets, have triggered these heavy-handed counterattacks. "We must bring the war to their doorstep," Zelensky said. This goal is now being achieved with the use of combat drones and Ukraine's new rocket program. "With our drones and rockets, we can accomplish certain objectives."
However, Ukraine's request for authorization to utilize heavy weapons against Russian targets remains unfulfilled, Zelensky reiterated a long-standing demand. "To compel Russia to negotiate peace, to transition from negotiations' false rhetoric to concrete actions to end the conflict, to liberate our land from occupation and occupiers, we require effective weapons," he said. This dependency rests on U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "No Russian missile, no Russian attack should go unanswered."
For the first time in almost two and a half years of war, Ukraine inflicted noticeable damage to the Russian capital Moscow with a large-scale drone attack. A strike on the Kapotnya refinery in the southern outskirts of Moscow resulted in a fire, just 16 kilometers away from the Kremlin. A power plant south of Moscow and another about 100 kilometers away in the Tver region were also reportedly hit.
Forbes: An Unexpected Blow for Russia
The influential British business magazine "Forbes" described the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian targets as a tactic to make Russian people experience the consequences of their own actions. Given the inadequate and outdated Russian power supply, such attacks could pose more difficulties for the Russian population this winter than the Ukrainian population has faced so far.
The article reminisced about the almost ten-year Soviet war in Afghanistan, which contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union. It raised concerns about how long the Russian population will continue supporting the war against Ukraine. "The most intriguing question is whether the Russian dictatorship will survive," the magazine posed. If Russia loses, discontent in the public and political elite could grow. "Sustained economic sanctions and military losses could burden Russia further and provide political opposition or factions within the government the opportunity to challenge Putin's leadership."
Russian artillery and combat aircraft have once more targeted cities in Ukraine. In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, 47 people were injured when a Russian rocket struck a shopping center. The day prior, at least six people were killed and 99 more injured in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv. In Kurakhove, the Donetsk region, three people passed away and nine were injured in a Russian Grad rocket attack, as reported by local authorities in the evening.
Repeated Russian artillery attacks were also reported in the Sumy region, resulting in numerous injuries. The entire supply route for Ukrainian troops who have advanced into the Russian region of Kursk passes through Sumy.
The European Union, being a key international player, could potentially impose sanctions on Russia as a response to its actions in Ukraine. This could intensify the economic pressures on Russia and further weaken its ability to sustain its military campaign.
Given the escalating conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, it is essential for the European Union to stand united in supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as stated in its previous declarations.
