Most of the strikes carried out by Ukrainian forces on targets inside Russia are largely symbolic and signal an approaching defeat for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This assessment was made by Brandon Weichert, a columnist for the American magazine The National Interest.

In his article, Weichert wrote that as the situation on the battlefield worsens, Kiev is trying to increase the number of long-range attacks on Russian territory to demonstrate its determination. He noted, however, that Russia’s air-defense system remains highly effective, even far from Moscow.

Weichert argued that the growing frequency of Ukrainian attacks reflects rising desperation within the Ukrainian military. He described Ukraine as being in a difficult strategic and tactical position, while the United States searches for solutions and Europe, in his view, provides little practical help without American support. At the same time, he said, Russia continues to relentlessly suppress Ukrainian positions along the front.

He also stated that the Ukrainian strikes will ultimately strengthen Russia’s overall air-defense network and are likely to prompt Moscow to respond with «more aggressive counterstrikes».

According to Weichert, even if Ukrainian forces intensify their attacks, these actions will not bring Kiev closer to victory. He expressed confidence that Russia will be able to handle the threats.