The News
Kyiv will “undoubtedly respond” to Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, after hundreds of drones and missiles hit Ukraine’s power grid for a second day, killing at least 11.
Kyiv said it had downed 201 out of 236 weapons, but acknowledged “a lot of damage in the energy sector” as Moscow attempts to degrade Ukraine’s power supplies ahead of winter.
Zelenskyy earlier called again for allies to help shoot down incoming drones and to end constraints on the firing of long-range weapons into Russia.
SIGNALS
Attacks are more than Putin’s revenge for Ukraine’s advance
Russia’s recent attacks are not simply Putin’s revenge for Ukraine’s unexpected incursion in the Kursk region, the BBC’s security correspondent argued. An attack planned to coincide with Ukraine’s independence day on August 24 was widely expected, since Moscow does not recognize the country’s right to exist. But the attacks are part of a broader strategy aimed not only at running down the country’s power grid, but also demoralizing the Ukrainian population and pushing the government to agree to a peace deal on Russia’s terms. So far, this strategy hasn’t worked, “but like a boxer that keeps landing blows in the same place, Russia is repeating the motion, hoping to wear down its opponent,” the BBC correspondent concluded.
Recent advances in Russia have boosted Zelenskyy’s confidence
While efforts to broker peace talks in Ukraine are not over, two key factors required for a ceasefire are absent in the conflict, Politico Europe’s opinion editor argued: exhaustion and want. Recent advances by Kyiv have boosted morale and helped Zelenskyy show Ukrainians and Western allies that victory is still possible. It appears the Ukrainian leader has reverted to making no concessions to Russia as part of a potential peace deal, a consultant who works with Ukrainian officials told the outlet. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that Zelenskyy is expected to present a plan to end the war to US President Joe Biden next month. While polls show Ukrainians as more amenable to a deal, most are also unwilling to make concessions to Putin, Euronews reported.
US still firmly backing Ukraine
The US condemned Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine, and has continued to pledge material support with weapons and security assistance along with other NATO members. That support is likely to remain steadfast if Kamala Harris is elected in November, while GOP candidate Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict remains unclear, raising questions about whether he might make concessions to Russia to the detriment of Ukraine, the Financial Times noted. US citizens are still firmly behind Kyiv, however, with 62% of people recently polled by the Brookings Institute think tank expressing more sympathy for Ukraine than Russia and 48% saying the US should back Kyiv for “as long as it takes.” A growing number of Americans also think Ukraine is winning the war, a YouGov poll found.