“You see increased Ukrainian attacks against Russian critical infrastructure, retaliatory attacks against cities like Belgorod and greater strikes against Russian military base in Crimea,” he said. Challenging KremlinAs Mr. Putin ramps up his campaign ahead of the presidential election in March, he wants to maintain an air of normalcy. It’s not the first time Belgorod has been touched by the war, with drone strikes and other attacks early in the conflict. Ukrainian officials rarely comment on strikes inside Russia but they emphasise their right to use all means to counter Moscow’s aggression. “Continued Ukrainian strikes in deep rear areas in Russia may thus increase pressure on Russia’s air defenses overall,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in a recent analysis.

Source: The Hindu January 31, 2024 12:34 UTC