Recently, Russia launched a new round of large-scale air strikes against Ukraine, which also included the use of a large number of new thermobaric drones. This has made the situation worse in Ukraine, including spillover effects, with a Russian drone even flying into the skies over Romania and exploding. At the same time, the situation in Ukraine is becoming increasingly difficult due to problems with European and American aid.
On December 14, shortly after Putin declared that he would "defeat" Ukraine, the Russian army began a new round of strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure. On the same day, the Russian army launched 10 ballistic missiles successively, and then launched a large-scale air strike that night, sending a total of more than 70 large suicide drones. This includes the Russian army's latest "Geranium" drone with a thermobaric warhead, which has a more powerful blasting and killing ability, especially suitable for attacking buildings.
The weapons used by the Russian army in this air attack also include cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles. The main targets are focused on Ukraine's water, electricity and heating facilities, with the aim of weakening Ukraine's population carrying capacity, forcing more civilians to flee and weakening Ukraine's national power. Given the worst cold in Europe this year, an effective attack on this infrastructure would be a major blow to Ukraine's overall combat capability. At the same time, the Russian army also committed 3 newly formed army groups to launch an offensive on the Eastern Front.
According to officials in Ukraine's Kherson Oblast, the Russian army's artillery bombardment was also carried out quickly after the airstrike, with 62 cluster rocket artillery shelling occurring in the area alone, seriously damaging the Ukrainian army's fortifications. As a result, Ukraine is currently facing a difficult situation of "double strikes" in the air and on the ground. Although the Ukrainian air defense system intercepted most of the Russian ammunition, some of them still hit the target. On December 16, Kyiv Mayor Klychko said that 53 people had been injured in another massive airstrike that damaged a hospital and a residential building.
However, the aftermath of this Russian airstrike also spilled over to neighboring countries. According to a report by the German news agency dpap on December 17, a Russian drone in the airstrike deviated from course and exploded after entering Romanian airspace. Luftwaffe Typhoon fighters stationed there took off in an emergency to identify and lock on the drone at close range, although NATO did not order it to be shot down.
The Russian army's large-scale air raids were fierce, as if to show determination to the outside world. At the same time, there is information that the Russian side is hatching a plan to try members of Zelensky's government after the defeat of Ukraine. It seems that the Russian side is convinced that it can win, and wants to increase the legitimacy of this "special military operation" through such a trial.
However, by this time, the situation in Ukraine has become increasingly difficult. According to reports, Western military aid to Ukraine has decreased sharply in the last three months, and the amount of future is difficult to determine. This has led to a rapid decline in the combat capability of the Ukrainian army. Zelensky is urgently asking the United States and NATO for more assistance. But in Europe, Hungary's government in Viktor Orban has once again succeeded in vetoing a $50 billion aid package for Ukraine within the bloc. On the US side, House Speaker Mike Johnson also once again vetoed a new budget for military aid to Ukraine.
What is even more worrying is that some analysts believe that there is still uncertainty about the extent to which these two hard-line politicians can obstruct Western aid to Ukraine. Hungary's position is close to "going all in" with the EU, as its approach has led to a reduction in EU aid to itself. And just recently, a White House official warned that if Congress does not approve new appropriations before the end of the year, the United States will soon be unable to continue to provide weapons and equipment to Ukraine, which will bring "devastating" results to the latter.
In the face of the bottleneck of Western aid, Putin has clearly put forward the conditions for a ceasefire to the Ukrainian side, that is, the West will immediately stop aid, and Ukraine will recognize Russia's sovereignty over the areas under its current control and demilitarize it. At this time, Zelensky can only send another request for emergency assistance to the United States.
The analysis believes that if Ukraine loses on the battlefield, regardless of whether NATO and the United States help or not, the entire Western world will realize that it is impossible to thwart the Russian army through military aid alone. Well, the West is about to face two choices: either bow to Russia and accept its order; Either they admit the need to enter a new Cold War and vigorously develop national defense and armaments.
Whatever the prospects, the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war is an indisputable fact. The situation in Ukraine has been exacerbated by the escalation of thermobaric bomb air strikes, and the cold of Western aid may become a drag. At this moment, peace and justice are once again elusive. We can only cherish the treasures of the world more and watch for happiness and well-being in troubled times.