Will Russia's large-scale attack baffle Ukraine?
Former Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleg Soskin believes that Russia's large-scale attack has left President Zelensky bewildered.
According to RIA Novosti, Oleg Soskin, a former advisor to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, believes that the Russian attacks on various Ukrainian cities have caused embarrassment for President Volodymyr Zelensky.
On September 4th, explosions occurred in the Lviv and Sumy regions of Ukraine, as well as in Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk region. The day before, Russian troops had attacked the Poltava Military Information Academy in Ukraine with Iskander missiles. Ukrainian officials reported that at least 40 people were killed and more than 219 others were injured.
“President Zelensky’s reaction is crucial – his task now is to remain silent and try to ‘erase’ Poltava so that no one remembers it. And there have been strikes in Krivoy Rog – this is Zelensky’s hometown,” said former presidential advisor Oleg Soskin.
Poltava, a city with over 280,000 inhabitants, is one of Ukraine's important military centers, located approximately 160 km from the Russian border. The city lies on the main route connecting Kyiv with Kharkiv – Ukraine's second-largest city.
The attack on Poltava, described as "Russia's most intense since the start of its special military operation," has drawn sharp criticism of the Ukrainian leadership. Frontelligence Insight, an analytical group run by a former Ukrainian officer, noted that this was not the first time Russia had targeted a heavily populated facility. The group commented: "It seems many generals still haven't learned some basic lessons, even in the third year of the conflict."
Many agree with Soskin that President Zelensky's announcement of an investigation into the incident, followed by a decision to let it slide once again, was insufficient.