This week, Ukrainian forces made a daring attack into Russian territory that surprised even Moscow; this has opened up another front in the long-standing war. According to New York Times (NYT), the Ukrainians broke through Russia’s border defenses and on Thursday fought for control of several settlements.
Ukrainian armored columns moved as far as six miles within Russia, which led to a state of emergency being declared in one western region. Several videos show American-made vehicles being destroyed by Russian forces.
One senior Ukrainian official said, “Our aim is to make sure that Russians fight not only with us but also among themselves.” Quoted by NYT, he said: “We are at war; why can Russia attack us and we cannot?”
Reportedly for about 1,000 soldiers involved in this move it was intended to set back Russian resources following some previous setbacks. “We want to challenge the Russians, divert their forces, and show that they have no reserves,” said Andriy Zagorodnyuk who used to serve as Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
The US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that using American weapons does not violate US policy during the assault. In contrast, Konrad Muzyka is suggesting that this step may help Ukraine by reducing Russia’s offensives in Donetsk region while also improving its negotiating position per New York Times.
In his televised address President Zelenskyy was implicitly referring to the assault when he stressed the need for increased pressure on Russia. According him: “…the more pressure is exerted on Russia — the aggressor who brought war on Ukraine — the closer peace will be.”
