Consequences of the shelling of Odesa. Photo from Oleg Kiper's Telegram
Russian long-range strikes against Ukraine are undergoing certain changes, which indicate a revision of the enemy’s strategy. Some attacks focus on the defence industry facilities, but civilians and critical infrastructure remain the predominant target.
«Regrettably, Russian missile attacks predominantly target civilians, residential areas, and critical infrastructure», — the experts say.
According to British intelligence, Russian forces are targeting defence industry facilities during long-range strikes, possibly trying to hit sites where military equipment is manufactured or stored. Despite this, however, the main threat remains directed at civilians and critical infrastructure.
Analysis of previous massive attacks shows that Russian missiles often target populated areas, residential zones and civilian infrastructure, which is a cause for serious concern. Expert emphasises that such attacks can be defined as terrorist attacks, as it is impossible to explain their expediency and justification.
«In this manner, their aim is to breach the layered air defense system, believing that this approach will diminish our capabilities. Essentially, the enemy seeks to inflict greater destruction, hits, internal destabilization, psychological pressure, panic, and more», — the analysts comment.
Despite the changes in the tactics of Russian attacks, recent events show that hostile actions are not achieving the results they were intended to achieve. The effectiveness of the new strategy remains in doubt, and the Ukrainian population and government continue to respond to the challenges posed by the enemy. In the context of strikes on major rear cities, the Russians often justify their actions by claiming to be in pursuit of weapons depots, production facilities, or «super secret NATO bunkers».
«However, if they had indeed struck such targets, the resulting blast wave would have been remarkably impactful, and the repercussions would have been unmistakable. Consequently, the insights provided by British intelligence regarding shifts in Russian strike tactics are logical, but the outcomes of these hostile actions are not aligning with their anticipated results», — says the experts.