None of This Looks Good for Putin – Experts
Experts and Western media view the massive bombings of Kyiv as a desperate attempt by the Kremlin to restore its image after Ukraine's successful long-range strikes. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil refineries and Wildberries warehouses, caused a fuel crisis and long queues. Russia is exploiting Ukraine's shortage of air defense systems against ballistic missiles. On the front, the pace of Russian troop advances has dropped to a minimum, and Putin has made personnel changes.
Recent massive bombings of Kyiv are seen by experts and Western media as a desperate attempt by the Kremlin to restore its tarnished image after Ukraine's successful long-range strikes. Sky News Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett notes that strikes on civilian infrastructure were Putin's response to painful events: the fuel crisis due to attacks on refineries, the disruption of Wildberries logistics, and an explosion in a Moscow restaurant. British analyst Michael Clarke emphasizes that Russia is exploiting Ukraine's shortage of means against ballistic missiles, including North Korean KN-23s, to create a harsh winter. On the front, the pace of Russian troop advances has fallen to a multi-year low, and the strategic initiative is being contested by Ukrainian counteroffensives. Putin has made personnel changes, but successes are minimal. Both sides have shifted efforts to rear-area strikes, but the bombings are unlikely to change the balance of power.