Why is Russia increasing its attacks on Ukraine?

2025-07-15 08:03:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kiev and Odessa are under the most massive Russian attacks since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Moscow is attacking with hundreds of drones and missiles. But why now?

Russia has carried out another drone attack in Odessa. According to local media, the building of the Ukrainian army recruitment center and a residential building were hit. A day earlier, at least two people were killed in a massive attack in Kiev, Ukraine. Several neighborhoods of the city were hit. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that an ambulance station was destroyed.

Recently, a series of massive Russian combined attacks have been recorded. What happened on the night of July 4 in Kiev, for example, is also called the "night of hell" by the Ukrainian media. The Russian military used more than 500 drones and Kinzhal and Iskander missiles. But then hundreds of drones and missiles were used again.

After that, even US President Donald Trump, who previously presented himself as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, said he was disappointed with Russia. He also toughened his rhetoric against the Kremlin. "Putin is doing a lot of stupid things," Trump said, adding that the Russian president is "always very nice," but in the end "it turns out to be irrelevant."

Immediately after these statements, the United States resumed deliveries of certain types of weapons to Ukraine. These are, according to Reuters, artillery shells and self-propelled howitzers. Meanwhile, the US has decided to send Patriot systems again.

Production of thousands of drones per month

Thanks to the expansion of drone production, Russia is now able to carry out such massive attacks. It is no longer dependent on Iran, as was the case in 2022. "Russia has been using drones since 2022, but now the quantity has changed," military technology expert David Hambling told DW. "Now thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of drones are being produced per month. That's enough to overwhelm most defense systems designed to intercept missiles."

Colonel Markus Reisner of the Austrian army emphasizes in an interview with DW that Russia would not be able to carry out such massive attacks without the help of other countries. China, he says, supplies Russia with parts to produce drones, while North Korea supplies Moscow with ballistic missiles. "It is clear that Russia is counting on the support of other countries here," Reisner concludes. Terrorizing the Ukrainian population

Following the latest attack on Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his opinion on why Russia is intensifying the bombing of the capital. Vladimir Putin wants, as he says, "people to suffer and flee Ukraine, to destroy their homes, schools - their lives - everywhere, not just at the front," Ukrainian portal NV reports.

The New York Times writes, citing sources close to the Kremlin, that in this way Russia wants to break through Ukrainian defenses in the coming months.

Colonel Reisner believes that Putin is trying to achieve two strategic goals with the recent combined attacks - first, to destroy Ukraine's military-industrial complex and second, to influence the public by attacking civilians. "Targeted attacks on the population, which has been weakened by terror, are an indirect attempt to put pressure on the Ukrainian government," he explains. Is the Russian summer offensive starting?

Many military analysts expect Russia to launch a new offensive this summer. German political scientist Andreas Heinemann-Grüder sees the intensified combined attacks that Ukraine has recently been subjected to as part of that campaign.

Russia's goal, he believes, is to weaken Ukraine's air defenses to the point where the losses cannot be compensated for by Western supplies of weapons and defense systems. This could also be a sign that Russia is preparing for a "decisive battle," Heinemann-Grüder suggests.

He does not rule out the possibility that Russia will be able to surround Ukraine by the end of this year or early next year and force it to accept the Kremlin's demands.

What can the West do?

Experts tell DW that the West must act more decisively to deny Russia the initiative on the battlefield. At the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, which was held in Rome in recent days, President Zelensky said that Ukraine had found a solution to repel Russian attacks - with certain drones. At the same time, he stressed that his country's defense sector urgently needs major investments.

Colonel Reisner confirms that Ukraine is already achieving good results in the production of its own drones. However, effective defense cannot do without Western support.

"We need Western help, especially when it comes to specialized weapons systems, such as Patriot air defense missile systems."

Chancellor Merz's positions

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previously said that Germany was ready to buy these systems from the United States for Ukraine. Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that he would send Ukraine "very sophisticated weapons" and that these weapons would be "paid for 100 percent." He explained that these systems would be paid for by NATO.

To provide effective aid, the West must overcome fears that the weapons it sends could fall into Russian hands, says Andreas Heinemann-Grüder. Some Western arms companies fear that this could result in a loss of technological advantage.

They are also concerned that creating joint ventures with Ukraine could lower the prices of their products. "In my opinion, this way of thinking needs to be overcome," the expert says./ DW