(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Russian forces have escalated strikes on the Ukrainian capital, targeting civilian infrastructure in an apparent attempt to exhaust the population, according to a recent frontline report.
Ukrainian air defences are under severe strain following the depletion of Patriot interceptor missiles that had previously shielded Kyiv. This has allowed an increase in Russian drone and missile attacks on logistics warehouses, food storage facilities and transport networks, leading to empty shelves in some shops.
The intensified bombardment coincided with the start of the new school year on 1st September, with children returning to classrooms amid air raid alerts and missile fire. Analysts suggest the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has exploited this window of vulnerability as well as recent political turmoil within Ukraine to amplify pressure.
A separate development saw a rare public rebuke for the Russian dictator from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who told him to end the war he started. This exchange, captured on camera, showed Putin appearing visibly uncomfortable, a marked departure from his carefully curated image of strength. Analysts note that in 2022 neither Modi nor China would have publicly challenged Putin, indicating a significant shift in global perceptions of Russian power.
According to a report by The Economist, Putin has privately admitted that he may face execution if he fails to deliver a victory in Donbas. This admission of fear, unprecedented for a leader who has spent decades cultivating an image of invincibility, suggests the walls are closing in on the indicted war criminal.
Bill Browder, a long time Kremlin critic and investor, said the admission is one of the most significant developments in 26 years. “He wants people to think that he’s a monster that if you cross Putin terrible things will happen to you,” Browder said. “The fact that he actually admitted something that we’ve always known, that he’s terrified for his own life, is really a major development.”
Browder predicted that a frightened Putin would escalate further, launching more attacks on Ukrainian civilians and initiating mass conscription. Reports suggest the Kremlin may draft between 300,000 and 500,000 additional soldiers and could close its borders to military-aged men. “All Putin knows how to do is create shock and heartbreak,” Browder stated.
The analyst suggested the war may not end with a formal treaty but could instead peter out, similar to the Korean War, with a demilitarised zone separating the two sides. He argued that Ukraine’s long range strikes on Russian economic targets could eventually force a de-escalation. “If Ukraine really does more damage to the economy of Russia, at some point Putin has to say at least on the aerial bombings, if you don’t hit our economic targets, we won’t hit your civilians,” he said.
Browder also dismissed the likelihood of Putin using a tactical nuclear weapon, noting it would not end the war and would alienate China and India. “He’ll become the global pariah and that will probably lead to his downfall,” he concluded.
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