Russian missiles test West's resolve in the Ukrainian conflict
- This is a clear message to Washington, but also it's a clear message to Ukrainian people that Putin wants to freeze them in winter, says Orysia Lutsevych for Sky News. The map illustrates the extent of Russian aggression.
Russian missile attacks are a signal to Washington that supporting Ukraine could be too costly. Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, in an interview with Sky News, emphasises that Russia wants to demonstrate it cannot be defeated.
According to Lutsevych, the attacks also aim to send a message to the US President-elect, Donald Trump, that the costs of the conflict in Ukraine are immense for the West. "This is a clear message to Washington, but also it's a clear message to Ukrainian people that Putin wants to freeze them in winter," added the expert from the London think tank.
The Kremlin has not achieved its war aims, so Russia is attempting to undermine Western support for Ukraine. Lutsevych assesses that this represents the best opportunity for Russia to weaken support for Ukraine.
Massive attack on Ukraine
Andriy Sybiha, head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that Russia carried out one of the largest air assaults, targeting cities, civilians, and infrastructure. The Ukrainian Air Force shot down 144 out of 210 drones and missiles.
Russia has not achieved its war objectives, and the attacks aim to undermine Western support for Ukraine.
