The Russian military has increased the number of missile strikes on Ukraine to force the Armed Forces of Ukraine to delay a counteroffensive.
This was stated by an unnamed official representative of the United States, writes CNN.
According to him, Russia is spending more ammunition than usual, trying to confuse Ukrainian air defenses.
Recently, the occupiers have been launching large-scale missile strikes simultaneously from several directions, targeting the control center in Kyiv and other key objects.
"Russia may have launched extended attacks in an attempt to force Ukraine to delay its long-awaited counteroffensive. But Ukraine was able to withstand the attacks, intercepting a high percentage of incoming missiles and drones with the help of echeloned air defenses provided by Western countries,” the US representative noted.
It is noted that massive Russian attacks may even "benefit Ukraine", as Russia is more actively using its limited stockpile of high-precision missiles.
- On the night of May 16, Russia carried out an "exceptional in density" attack on Kyiv, using drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles at the same time — it became the eighth since the beginning of the month. Falling debris was recorded in Solomyanskyi, Svyatoshynskyi, Shevchenkovskyi, Obolonskyi and Darnytskyi districts.