Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Moscow as its forces falter on the ground.
hundreds of drones hit the Russian capital, sparking questions about the timing and strategy behind the assault.
**Breaking news update at the bottom.
Good day, spectators,
And it's just a quick one today as I work on a longer article covering the brutal massacres in Syria from the weekend.
So… Last night, Moscow experienced its largest aerial attack in recent history, as Ukraine seemingly launched hundreds of drones at the Russian capital. Reports suggest around 350 drones were involved, with many hitting residential buildings and random areas across the city.
This attack is particularly interesting when we consider the timing. Continued talks between Ukraine and the US are set to take place in Saudi Arabia this week, and this assault raises questions about Ukraine’s strategy, if it even has one left.
why?
There are a few possible explanations for this move in my opinion…
The first is that Ukraine may be trying to demonstrate to Russia that it can still strike deep into Russian territory, even as its ground offensives falter. By targeting Moscow, Ukraine could be pushing for an aerial ceasefire, which would provide much-needed relief for its struggling forces. Also, for the first time in a long time, the people of Moscow have been slapped. Don't underestimate the psychological effect that will have on everybody. They will either be incensed or keener to bring an end to the war.
Kursk.
The timing also coincides with reports that Ukraine’s much hyped-up incursion into Kursk is all but over. Russian forces are reportedly close to completely encircling Ukrainian troops, leaving them with little time or room to evacuate. Losing Kursk is a significant blow to Ukraine’s bargaining power in upcoming negotiations, and this drone attack could be an attempt to shift the narrative.
Ultimately, with Ukraine’s army struggling to fill its ranks and with its counteroffensive on the back foot, this attack could be a sign of desperation—a simple last-ditch effort to gain some kind of leverage before talks begin.
As always though, it’s civilians who pay the price. Residential buildings were hit, and while the full extent of the damage is still unclear, it’s a dark reminder that war usually spares no one but the rich and political class.
what’s next?
Honestly, from my perspective, this attack raises more questions than answers. Will it strengthen Ukraine’s hand in negotiations? I don’t think so.
Will it provoke a response from Russia? Almost certainly. The Russian people will likely be angry and many even believe Putin to be ‘too soft’ on Ukraine on a normal day.
But what does it say about the state of the war and our world when we resort to such tactics? I want to be explicitly clear that both Russia and Ukraine are guilty of hitting civilians with drones and bombs. War does not leave much space for morality.
As we watch this conflict drag on, I do think of the people of Russia and those in Ukraine. Caught in the crossfire of a war they don’t deserve.
**Urgent last-minute update!
Ukraine has agreed to an immediate, 30-day ceasefire proposal brokered by the United States, according to a joint statement from the two countries, though Russia has yet to accept the deal. I think this is good news. Apologies for interrupting the article but this is coming out moments before I hit ‘Send’.
And on that, I will let you go. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and watch this space for an extensive article on the situation in Syria tomorrow,
(As always, thanks for reading, and please give this post a ❤️ and restack below.)
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Read more from the spectacle…
You can wait till the end of all eternity for Muscovites to push for an aerial ceasefire on the back of this, or any other attack on Russia in fact. The West hugely underestimates the galvanising power of this weaponised Russophobia and how Russians from all walks of life pulled together as a nation. That includes anyone I know with Russian ancestry as well (myself included).
Seems like Zelensky doesn’t really want that ceasefire, just agreed to it under US pressure. Surprise, surprise.