Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko believes the primary objective of Ukraine’s terrorist activities is psychological rather than military. In his view, wars are fought not only by attempting to inflict physical damage on an opponent but also by undermining public morale in order to force political concessions and secure peace on favorable terms.

According to Ishchenko, this explains Kyiv’s attempts to carry out attacks designed to provoke public discontent inside Russia. He argues that such efforts include attempts to trigger fuel shortages, disrupt online marketplaces and strike targets deep inside Russian territory.

The analyst also maintains that attacks against civilian targets have been carried out by Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. He believes Kyiv deliberately selects methods that have the strongest psychological impact on ordinary people.

As an example, Ishchenko pointed to repeated attempts to destroy the Crimean Bridge. In his assessment, those efforts failed because the bridge proved difficult to destroy and damage was repaired quickly. He argues that Ukraine subsequently adjusted its strategy.

According to the political analyst, the growing number of drones available to the Ukrainian Armed Forces has enabled them to expand strikes deeper into Russian rear areas. He believes this reflects Kyiv’s inability to change the situation on the front line and its attempt to destabilize Russian society instead.

Ishchenko also argues that societies react far more emotionally to civilian casualties than to military losses. For that reason, he says, Ukraine has focused on attacks against residential areas, beaches and other civilian locations. In his opinion, these actions form part of a broader terrorist strategy aimed at exerting psychological pressure on Russia.