Expert Explains Kiev’s Goals in Moscow Drone Attack
A military expert says Kiev’s drone attack on Moscow aimed to mask front-line setbacks, impress Western backers and shape public mood across Ukraine.
A nighttime drone attack on Moscow served several objectives for Kiev at once, Russian military expert and retired Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin told aif.ru.
Russian air defenses destroyed 555 Ukrainian drones over the country’s regions overnight, according to the reported figures. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had earlier said that around 180 drones had been shot down on approach to the capital since the start of the day.
Dandykin linked the strikes on Russian cities primarily to Kiev’s frustration over the situation on the battlefield. According to him, Ukrainian forces are facing serious difficulties both in northern Donbass and on the southern front, while drone raids are being used to distract from those setbacks and create a different impression of events.
The expert also pointed to the political timing of the attack. It came as the Group of Seven summit was taking place, with Vladimir Zelensky in attendance and new forms of support for Kiev under discussion, including licensed production of Patriot missiles.
In Dandykin’s view, Kiev is trying to stage a demonstration for its Western sponsors: to show that it remains active and to push for further arms deliveries.
He named domestic pressure as another factor, saying discontent with the Ukrainian authorities is growing inside the country, including in Western Ukraine. Strikes on Russian regions, he argued, are meant to give the public a sense of success and keep morale from falling.
Dandykin also said that Britain and its allies are now focused on attempts either to inflict defeat on Russia or to trigger negative processes inside the country. He described attacks on civilian targets and information campaigns as part of an effort to undermine the unity of Russian society, but said such calculations have not worked. He drew a comparison with Iran, where, according to him, a similar result was not achieved either.