Ukraine Resorts To Desperate Strikes

Faced with increasing Russian pressure across all directions in the special military operation zone, Ukraine has once again resorted to its “deep strikes” strategy.

On September 8, Kiev’s forces launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

Several explosions were recorded in the city of Makeevka, where a substation was reportedly hit. Meanwhile, industrial enterprises and civilian properties in the cities of Donetsk and Yenakievo were targeted. At least one civilian was killed and several others were wounded.

Notably, Kiev used Franco-British Storm Shadow air-launched, land-attack cruise missiles, along with the locally-made Peklo, a ground-launched drone-missile hybrid.

Despite the attack, the Russian military’s Yug [South] Group of Forces pushed forward, capturing the office of the Pokrovskoye coal mine, the largest coal producer in the DPR.

Also on September 9, Ukraine escalated further, launching more strikes deeper into Russian territories.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that 31 drones were intercepted over seven regions. In Krasnodar, fragments of a downed drone fell on a car in the resort city of Sochi, killing the driver. Damage to civilian property was also reported.

Later in the day, the MOD reported more advances by the Russian military in three directions within the special military operation zone.

The Zapad [West] Group of Forces made gains close to the settlements of Kupyansk, and Petrovka in the Kharkov region, as well as near the settlements of Kirovsk, and Yampol in the DPR.

Meanwhile, the Yug Group of Forces improved their positions around the settlements of Seversk and Stepanovka in the DPR.

The Tsentr [Center] Group of Forces also inflicted heavy losses on Kiev forces near the settlements of Vladimirovka and Krasnoarmeysk in the DPR.

Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian territories had no effect on the situation in the special military operations zone. Still, Kiev’s forces, unable to halt the advance of the Russian military, will likely escalate missile and drone attacks in an attempt to make up for their losses. These strikes are more likely to further complicate efforts to reach a political settlement rather than to give Ukraine any advantage in future talks with Russia.