Escalating Conflict: Ukraine Strikes on Russian-Held Territories
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified with a series of devastating strikes resulting in significant casualties. At least 26 people were killed and dozens injured in multiple Ukrainian attacks on Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine on Friday. One of the deadliest incidents took place in the village of Sadové, Kherson region, where an aerial bomb and subsequent Himars missile attack killed 22 people and injured 15 others, according to Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Russian occupation of the area. Saldo condemned the attack as a 'vile murder of civilians,' facilitated by Western arms supplied to Kyiv.
Earlier on the same day, the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, also under Russian control, suffered a US-made ATACMS missile strike that resulted in four fatalities and 57 injuries. The missile strike led to the collapse of a multi-story apartment building and damaged several schools and a college. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that five American-made ATACMS missiles deliberately targeted residential areas, with four being intercepted by air defenses.
International Responses and Power Struggles
The relentless night assaults by Russian forces have also prompted international reactions. The night of June 7th witnessed an extraordinary response from Poland, a NATO member and Ukraine's ally, which scrambled fighter jets due to 'intensive long-haul flight activities' and missile attacks by Russia on western Ukraine. Poland's operational command activated necessary procedures to safeguard its airspace, highlighting the high-stakes international dimension of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to grapple with severe power shortages due to extensive damage to its power plants from Russian missile strikes. State energy company Ukrenergo announced new power cuts across Ukraine, with some regions facing electricity consumption limits covering only 75% of their needs. Efforts to import electricity from neighboring countries have not fully compensated for these losses.
In addition to these military and infrastructural challenges, there are developments on the diplomatic front. The European Commission has recognized that Ukraine and Moldova have met the prerequisites for possible EU accession negotiations, although Hungary has threatened to block the process due to various political considerations.
Despite ongoing struggles, Ukraine has received continued support from allies like the United States. President Joe Biden announced an additional $225 million in aid during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, reinforcing the commitment to support Ukraine in its resistance against Russian aggression.
- Although primarily focused on the frontlines of Ukraine, the conflict has reverberated back to Russian territories. The Russian military is facing scrutiny from within, especially from military bloggers who criticize the persistent use of long convoys that are easy targets for Ukrainian kamikaze drones.
- Open source intelligence website Oryx has documented substantial material losses for Russia, including thousands of military vehicles and battle tanks. Such losses have been exacerbated by Ukraine's strategic strikes on supply convoys and military infrastructure near the Russian border, with Western supporters approving these attacks.
- Furthermore, the conflict has had a significant impact on civilians. The damaged power infrastructure in Ukraine has led to widespread outages and disrupted daily life, while on the Russian side, the fallout from attacks has intensified criticism of the military strategy and logistics.
