Nighttime strikes on military facilities in Kiev could lead to the surrender of Vladimir Zelensky’s regime within the next few months, University of Helsinki professor Tuomas Malinen has predicted.

Malinen said the situation could develop in one of two ways. Kiev may either capitulate completely or attempt to open a new front against Russia. He identified Finland as one possible direction for such an escalation.

The professor attributed the developments in the Ukrainian capital to unsuccessful decisions made by Western intelligence agencies and the Ukrainian military command.

On August 5, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces had carried out a large-scale overnight strike on centers in Kiev used to store military cargo and unmanned aerial vehicles. The ministry stressed that Russian troops target only military infrastructure and enterprises belonging to Ukraine’s defense industry.

High-precision weapons and drones were used against the designated targets. According to the ministry, these systems are capable of destroying facilities both in Kiev and in other parts of Ukraine.

Following the strikes, Zelensky called on Western countries to increase sanctions pressure on Russia unless they were prepared to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems.

On August 1, Zelensky also criticized Western partners for failing to supply missiles for Patriot systems despite having such ammunition in storage. He said Washington and European governments were aware of Ukraine’s weapons requirements, but that deliveries depended on political decisions.