Russia continues its war of attrition against the Ukrainian population, but is struggling to achieve significant progress on the ground. In response, Kyiv is intensifying its strikes against Russian military infrastructure while civil society continues to support democratic and social mobilizations.
On June 3, Ukrainian missiles struck energy and military sites at the opening of the International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, where the Russian political and economic elite received their foreign guests under plumes of black smoke. Responding to the murderous attacks of the day before, Kyiv thumbed its nose at Putin’s arrogance while demonstrating its growing capacity to break through Russian air defenses.
On June 2 and 3, hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles reached the residential areas of Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia (40 dead and 250 injured). Following the hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries in April and May, these attacks target homes, civilian infrastructure and public services. Putin seeks to break the morale of the Ukrainian people. In vain.
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Increase the pressure on the Russian rear
On Ukrainian soil, the army succeeded in blocking Russia’s spring offensive, by neutralizing attempts to regroup men or equipment. The Russian occupying forces, despite the multiplication of assault operations, are making little progress. 600 km2 of Ukrainian territory have been liberated since the beginning of the year…even declared Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.
For several months, the Ukrainian army has been carrying out offensive operations on Russian territory, destroying refineries, industrial installations, arms factories and military bases in order to disrupt Russian logistics lines and war capabilities. These strikes, deep within Russian territory and on the rear fronts of the occupied territories, are shaking a civilian economy already weakened by inflation and the war economy.
Kyiv has increased the use of strike systems combining medium-range missiles and combat drones to reach the Russian rear up to 200 kilometers away. The Ukrainians are holding important supply routes under their permanent fire: Crimea is particularly affected, which has consequences on supplies to the southern zone of fighting. Sevastopol authorities have limited fuel purchases to twenty liters per vehicle. Prices of food products and services are already increasing.
The state of the overall balance of forces does not currently open the prospect of a victorious offensive on the ground. By increasing devastating air incursions, the Ukrainian leaders are trying to force Moscow to come to the negotiating table from a more balanced position.
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Une société engagée et combative
Ukrainian civil society, very involved in the country’s defense, is active and vigilant (fight against corruption, fight against oligarchs, defense of living and working conditions). After the demonstrations in May against the draft new Civil Code (which notably infringes on the rights of sexual minorities and allows the dispossession of common property), two examples of struggle show the permanent mobilization, despite the state of war, of citizens.
In Kyiv, during the public discussion on public transport, the Kyiv Passengers association, which organizes quality checks of lines and even discusses the choice of vehicles, collected the opinions of nearly 1,500 people opposed to the quadrupling of prices. The Priama Diia student union has joined this struggle, denouncing a new hard blow for students.
Teachers and parents in Rivne, in north-west Ukraine, are opposing the closure of several schools. The soldiers at the front, from their town, sent a video of support. The municipality has backed down.
Despite the war, despite the mourning and fatigue, civil society, committed and concerned about the future of the country, speaks publicly on the economic, political and legal orientations dangerous for the rule of law, social and democratic achievements – essential battles for the reconstruction of the country when it has regained its democratic sovereignty.
