The Russians have long been accused of war crimes, and this latest attack is especially heinous and is sure to create more calls for Vladimir Putin to be hauled in front of a criminal court for final justice.
The Russians have now bombed civilian targets so much that they have killed three children and six other adults.
Su-35 Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Su-35. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
What Transpired?
The awful attack happened in the Dnipropetrovsk region overnight on July 30. There were at least 70 missiles and 280 drones launched from Russia. These also targeted Kyiv and the western area of Lviv near Ukraine’s border with Poland.
To fend off the strikes, Ukraine has depended on interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems, but this supply is running low.
Can Ukraine Make Its Own Patriot Interceptors?
The United States has allowed Ukraine to eventually produce its own Patriot interceptors, but this could take an indefinite amount of time to ramp up production. Volodymyr Zelensky believes these delays are creating more dead and wounded, with children killed as well.
Poland Is Brought Into the Fray
Poland is also not taking these attacks lying down since the strikes threatened its border with Ukraine.
The Poles scrambled F-16 fighter jets to make sure no projectiles or unmanned loitering munitions hit inside their borders.
Poland’s after-action inspectors later determined that one missile did hit Polish territory in the east, and they are furious that Russia has made such a transgression.
Violent Scenes In Ukraine
Zelensky has had it with Russian attacks on civilians. “Protecting against the Russian missile threat is the most important task for preserving the lives of our people,” Zelensky said in a presentation, according to Reuters.
He showed images of wrecked houses, flames, and first responders searching through rubble.
“Our allies know how they can help. Untimely assistance and delays in the supply of anti-ballistic missiles result in the kind of destruction and casualties we are witnessing today,” Zelensky said.
Incessant Air Raids Have Citizens Reaching the Breaking Point
The Ukrainian leader vowed to continue to defend better, but leaks through the anti-missile and drone umbrella are bound to occur.
This is a nightly occurrence for Ukrainians who hear air raid sirens, and then they flee to shelters and subway tunnels and hope for the best – sometimes waiting for five hours or more.
This is the civilian cost of war, and it is making nerves wear thin.
“Fragments of human bodies were found under the rubble, and only forensic examinations can establish which members of the family they belong to,” he said.
Some Russian Missiles Are Bleeding Through
The Ukrainian defenders mostly performed well in last night’s attack, despite some getting through the screen.
They “shot down 55 missiles and 265 drones but stopped only one of nine ballistic missiles. Eleven missiles and 17 drones hit targets at 20 locations,” Reuters reported.
The strike that hit the house with children was tragic.
This is a parent’s worst nightmare. Russia still won’t stop the attacks on the Ukrainian people, which is taking a huge toll on morale.
Ukraine has struck back over the last several weeks by hitting Russia’s energy infrastructure deep inside the country.
This has created long lines for gasoline.
Fights have broken out among people in line for fuel.
When Will This End?
But the continued Russian strikes are worrying for Zelensky and his people.
The president is still concerned about the dwindling number of Patriot interceptors as noted above.
He is talking with the Americans to alleviate that problem, but the interceptors are difficult to produce and expensive.
The United States and its allies are also running low because of incessant strikes from Iran in the war in the Middle East.
Has North Korea Started Supplying Missiles to Russia?
One new development is even more troubling in Ukraine. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the attacking projectiles included at least one North Korean missile.
If true, this would be a substantial development not seen since last year.
The alliance between Russia and North Korea has been forged during war, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has provided more than 11,000 troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine in Kursk.
These personnel were largely ineffective, and many were eliminated by enemy fire, but Kim Jong Un is happy to do more to help Russia.
Now the DPRK may be making a greater effort at supplying the Russian war effort.
This shows that Russia could be running low on its own ballistic missiles and must rely on allies like North Korea to place more munitions in the hands of Putin’s forces.
No Mercy from Russia
Russia seems to have fallen into a pattern that brings more death and destruction each night.
Zelensky needs more U.S.-provided interceptors, but this is not a good time for the U.S. military, given the war against Iran.
As it stands, the Ukrainians must make do with what they have. But absorbing civilian casualties, particularly children, is extremely difficult.
Russia is looking for ways to punish Ukraine more, and it could be seeking more munitions from North Korea, which is a worry for Zelensky and his air defense batteries.
We will keep an eye on this missile supply from the DPRK.
Russia is glad to get assistance from its allies, and the number of projectiles targeting Ukraine will pound the defenders until this war can finally end.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood, PhD
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, has written over 3,500 articles on defense issues. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: A Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
