Moscow's 'phantom pains': Three reasons why Russia is threatening Kyiv with strikes again
Photo: Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (Getty Images)
Russia has once again intensified threats of strikes against Kyiv. There are three key reasons behind the Kremlin’s rhetoric, according to the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko.
According to him, one of the main reasons for the renewed wave of threats is the Russian army's lack of strategic successes on the battlefield.
"In the absence of strategic results for the Russian army at the front, the leadership of this terrorist entity disguised as the state of Russia is officially declaring a course toward terrorizing civilians and intimidating the population of Ukraine, including the city of Kyiv," Kovalenko said.
The center head believes that the Kremlin is attempting to apply psychological pressure on Ukrainians and push the population toward capitulation. However, Kovalenko stressed that such attempts by Russia have repeatedly failed.
The second reason, he said, is Moscow’s desire to influence the international diplomatic presence in Ukraine’s capital.
According to Kovalenko, Russia has already damaged foreign missions in the past and wants to avoid a situation where it would have to make excuses if a missile were to hit the embassy of an influential global power.
At the same time, the Kremlin, as at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, is trying to force diplomats to leave Kyiv.
"This is not happening now because the Russian army is no longer feared—it has demonstrated weakness, and Russia has lost influence in the Caucasus, the Middle East, and the post-Soviet space. The Russians are still experiencing phantom pains because of this," Kovalenko noted.
The third reason, according to the center head, is the Kremlin’s attempt to divert Russians’ attention from strikes on Russian territory and from its inability to protect its own regions and Moscow.
The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasized that Ukraine targets military facilities, while Russia continues to use tactics of terror against civilians.
"Russians think that by striking Kyiv and other cities, they will protect Moscow. In reality, they will only increase the presence of war in Moscow and beyond. The only thing that can protect against this is peace, which Putin does not want," Kovalenko concluded.
On the night of May 24, Russia carried out one of the largest air attacks on Ukraine in recent times. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 90 missiles of various types and around 600 drones, with Kyiv as the main target.
Defense Ministry adviser Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov said the number of missiles used in the attack exceeded Ukraine’s air defense interception capacity.
After the strike, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that attacks on Kyiv had been carried out and would continue. She also announced that the Russian Foreign Ministry is preparing a separate statement warning foreign diplomats.
