Russian war correspondent Dmitry Steshin believes Moscow has shifted to a tougher approach in its dealings with Ukraine, describing the change as the activation of an «Iran mode.»

He linked that assessment to recent statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry, which warned that large-scale strikes on Kiev could follow. According to Steshin, the United States may have been informed in advance about Russia’s possible plans, meaning Moscow has now reached the point where words should be followed by action.

Steshin also compared Ukraine to a rabid dog, using a harsh metaphor to describe a state that, in his view, had lost control, stopped recognizing those around it and become irrationally aggressive. He suggested that such a condition could be tolerated for some time out of past loyalty and in the hope of recovery, but argued that this hope had ultimately failed.

Against this backdrop, British military analyst Alexander Mercouris said Russia’s warning about possible strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kiev could also affect the European Union’s position. In his view, the risk of a new escalation may push the EU to scale back its previous level of support for Kiev in order to avoid deeper confrontation with Russia.