Russia unleashes airstrikes on Ukrainian civilians to deceive

Russia unleashes airstrikes on Ukrainian civilians to deceive

Third-grader Stanislav Martynyuk practically beams with pride in his school photo. With his hands folded on his desk and glasses that make him look like a serious and adorable 8-year-old scholar, this picture of Stanislav - along with similar shots of his sister Tamara, 12, and brother Roman, 17 - was displayed at an impromptu memorial at their school in Korostyshiv. These images were also shared on social media after the three siblings tragically died when a Russian airstrike hit their home.

Tragic losses and Russian attacks

The siblings are among at least 14 civilians killed in a new wave from Moscow over the weekend escalating airstrikes died in Ukrainian cities. Analysts assess this brutal campaign as part of a deliberate strategy by Russia aimed at creating the impression that Russia has the upper hand in the conflict, undermining Ukraine's morale and increasing pressure on Kiev's Western allies.

The intensification of air strikes

Russia began last fall Intensification of air strikes to Ukraine after it successfully expanded domestic production of its own variant of the Iranian-made Shahed drones. But the frequency and scale of these attacks increased again with US President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January. All five of Russia's largest drone strikes have occurred since then, four of them in the last 10 days, according to a count compiled by CNN.

Trump's reaction and the situation at the front

Trump has expressed a desire to end the war in Ukraine and said he would end the conflict within 24 hours of his inauguration. Despite these promises, Trump appears to be becoming increasingly impatient with Moscow and Kyiv. He has vacillated between threatening more sanctions against Russia and suggesting that he might withdraw from the matter entirely.

After Russia's largest airstrike against Ukraine since the war began, Trump said on social media, Putin “has gone completely crazy!” and expressed that he is “not happy with what Putin is doing.” At the same time, he also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for suggesting that “America's silence” was encouraging Putin to continue his attack. Trump noted that Zelensky is hurting his country because “everything he says causes problems.”

Strategic manipulation and possible solutions

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. conflict observatory, judge Russia's brutal air campaign to be part of a strategy to make it appear that Russia is winning the war. The aim is to crush Ukrainian morale and convince the West that a Russian victory in Ukraine is inevitable and that supporting Ukraine is pointless. Putin is aware that the only way Russia could win the war quickly would be for Ukraine's Western allies, particularly the United States, to withdraw their support.

The devastating effects of the attacks

The consequences of the Russian attacks are frightening. At least 209 civilians were killed in Ukraine last month, marking the deadliest month since September 2024, according to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Office in Ukraine. The month was particularly tragic for Ukrainian children - the worst record since June 2022, with 19 children killed and 78 injured. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said last weekend's attacks showed once again that Russia's goal was "fear and death."

The parents of the three Martynyuk children who were killed were injured in the attack, the mother seriously. Roman, the oldest child, was about to graduate, according to the school all three attended. Tamara's teacher, Oleh Hodovaniuk, reported that Monday was a very difficult day for school. "There were signs of war all around them. The school windows were shattered by the blast from the explosions. A memorial at the school's entrance was flooded with flowers and plush toys." The news of her death shook the community to its core, and many children were so distraught that they were unable to come to school and take part in the memorial.

“No one coordinated this, but most of the school wore black,” he said. “Tamara was very good and humble, like all the children in her family.”