The threatened reprisals of Vladimir Putin against Ukraine His drone attack on the Russian bombers fleet has not yet occurred, Despite the heavy bombing of Kharkiv And Kyiv Over the past two days, and is expected to be a major strike and several aspects, US officials in Reuters have told US officials. A senior Western diplomat provided for a “huge, vicious and relentless” assault from Moscow.
Michael Kofman, an expert in Russia in Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that Russia could seek to punish the internal security agency of SBU of Ukraine which orchestrated the attack of last weekend, It is possible to use ballistic missiles in intermediate range, as well as to target defense manufacturing sites. However, Kofman suggested that Russia’s reprisal options could be limited, because it already threw a large part of its military power in Ukraine. “In general, Russia’s ability to considerably degenerate strikes from what they already do – and try to do in last month – is quite limited.”
Ukrainian drone attack – called Spiderweb Operation – probably damaged around 10% of the Russian strategic bomber fleet and hit part of the plane when they were prepared for strikes on Ukraine, according to a German military assessment. Major Gen Christian Freuding told a YouTube podcast that “more than a dozen planes had been damaged, the strategic bombers TU-95 and TU-22 as well as the A-50 surveillance planes”. He said that “only one handle” of A-50s exists and can no longer be used for spare parts.
Despite the losses, Freuding has not seen any immediate reduction in Russian strikes against Ukraine, noting that Moscow has kept 90% of its strategic bombers, which can launch ballistic and cruise missiles in addition to dropping bombs. “But there is, of course, an indirect effect because the remaining planes will have to steal more outings, which means that they will be exhausted more quickly and, above all, there is a huge psychological impact.”
Freuding said Russia felt safe in its vast territory, which also explained why there was little protection for the plane. “After this successful operation, it no longer holds. Russia will have to intensify security measures. “
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of having thwarted a large -scale exchange of prisoners It was agreed last weekWith kyiv denying the Russian allegations according to which he had indefinitely the exchanges of prisoners postponed while accusing Moscow of “playing dirty games”. During the talks in Istanbul on Moscow on Moscow on Moscow on Moscow on MOSI on Monday on on MOSI on on Monday on each side, while Russia said it would also give the remains of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia said in a statement: “The Russian team has provided the Ukrainian part a list of 640 names, but the Ukrainian side is currently refraining from setting a date For the return of these individuals and the transfer of the corresponding number of Russian prisoners of war. »»
The headquarters of the coordination of Ukraine for the treatment of prisoners of war said that no date had been agreed for the return of organizations and that a list of names that Russia would be published did not correspond to the terms of the agreement. Andriy Kovalenko, an official of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said that “the declarations of the Russian party do not correspond to reality”.
