Russia sets its sights on Kyiv and Ukraine's rear, officials warn
Andrii Kovalenko, lieutenant in Ukraine's Defense Forces and former head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (screenshot)
The main tactic of Russian forces is to put pressure on Ukraine's rear areas, particularly the capital, because Russians see terrorizing Kyiv as a key objective, said Andrii Kovalenko, a lieutenant in Ukraine's Defense Forces and former head of the Center for Countering Disinformation.
He noted that children's comfort, education, and safety directly affect their parents' morale. Any threats in these areas could push people to migrate, forcing them to change their living conditions and potentially lose their jobs.
This could deeply demoralize many citizens, directly affecting public sentiment about both the country's political course and its ability to continue resisting.
"Basic energy infrastructure alone cannot achieve this. But things related to people's quality of life, especially children's lives, can have a significant impact on public sentiment," the military officer emphasized.
That is why ensuring comfort and the highest possible level of safety for children is a top priority for the Ministry of Education, relevant government agencies, and local authorities responsible for equipping bomb shelters. This is critical to keeping people in the country.
The Defense Forces lieutenant also emphasized ensuring safety in the capital.
"The enemy's first target is Kyiv. Always. Because, in the Russian mindset, the goal is to terrorize the capital. How is it that Kyiv has no mobile shelters, and schools cannot provide in-person classes because shelters don't have enough space? Something needs to be done about this," he added.
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