Russia launched at dawn on Sunday (9) the biggest attack with drones and missiles against Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2022. The offensive with more than 700 drones occurred a day after US President Donald Trump announced the sending of weapons to Kiev and criticizing Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
In total, the Russian army fired 728 drones and 13 missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which claimed to have intercepted 711 drones and destroyed 7 missiles without specifying the damage caused by these attacks.
The bombings are part of the announced “Summer offensive (northern hemisphere)” in eastern Ukraine and are indicative of Putin’s intentions to expand his military campaign despite Trump’s manifested disappointment this week.
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According to analysts and sources close to Kremlin, in an interview with the New York Times, Putin is convinced that Russia’s superiority on the battlefield has grown and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months. Trump’s announcement of new weapons to Kiev – officially resumed yesterday, according to the Pentagon – was done a few days after he said he was suspending the arms sending that this favored the increase in hostilities.
According to the sources cited by the newspaper, the Russian leader considers out of question to interrupt the fights now without extensive concessions from Ukraine. “He will not sacrifice his goals in Ukraine to improve relationships with Trump,” said Tatiana Stanovaia, senior researcher at Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
Putin’s insistence is a setback to the expectations of the beginning of this year, when Trump took office and sought a rapprochement with Moscow. During his campaign, he promised to end the war “in 24 hours.” Trump’s friendly approach to Kremlin and a heated discussion at the Oval Hall with Ukrainian President Volodmir Zelenski offered a rare opportunity for Putin.
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For many Russians, Trump’s sympathy for Putin could result in relief from sanctions, western investments, weapons control agreements and a favorable geopolitical realignment in Europe. Putin only needed to accept a ceasefire in Ukraine that would allow Russia to maintain the territory already won.
But as Moscow gained ground on the battlefield and Ukraine struggled with the scarcity of men and weapons to defend their front lines, Putin’s military ambitions increased, even after 40 months of large -scale war.
Despite six calls between Trump and Putin since February and two rounds of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow intensified his attacks. “Putin fills us with bullshit, if you want to know the truth,” Trump said on Tuesday.
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Negotiations
Putin proposed to the White House businesses such as rare land mining or participation in the supply of Russian gas to Europe. He offered Russia as a neutral mediator in the Middle East, even when Trump was preparing to bombard Iran, the closest ally to Kremlin in the region. And continued to praise Trump publicly. “He’s a brave man, of course,” Putin said at a news conference in Belarus last month.
But the only thing Putin didn’t do, as Trump acknowledged on Tuesday was to offer significant concessions about Ukraine. Putin said he understands Trump’s frustration, referring to the American’s recent recognition that it would be more difficult to finish war in Ukraine than he thought. “That’s how things are,” Putin said. “Real life is always more complicated than the idea we have of it.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov reiterated that feeling yesterday and minimized Trump’s observations on Putin. “We are taking it calmly. We hope to continue our dialogue with Washington and our efforts to repair our seriously shaken bilateral relationships,” Peskov said.
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Sanction
Putin is prepared in case Trump’s patience runs out, according to two people close to Kremlin. He believes Trump can implement new sanctions after six months of break. “Putin never had illusions about how American politics in Russia could develop. And Russian leadership has always prepared for the worst,” said Stanovaia.
So far, the threats of sanctions from the US President have proven empty. He has not signaled real disposition either to increase military support to Ukraine in order to change balance in the battlefield – and European countries do not seem to be able to do it alone.
Ukraine has been asking for several months to the Western Allies of Anti -aircraft defense to protect their cities from Russian attacks in a war that has killed thousands of both sides. (With international agencies).
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The information is from the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.
