[71578] Putin accuses Kyiv of terrorism following an attack in Starobilsk; military tension is rising

[71578] Putin accuses Kyiv of terrorism following an attack in Starobilsk; military tension is rising

During a meeting with graduates of the "Time of Heroes" program, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine committed a "terrorist attack" in Starobilsk, Luhansk, where, according to reports, six people were killed and 15 were declared missing. As reported by РИА Новости and Душная община, Putin ordered the Russian Ministry of Defense to formulate proposals for a response, arguing that "one cannot be content with statements alone." Putin emphasized that the attack was carried out by 16 UAVs in three waves, and that there were no military targets near the dormitories. At the same time, media outlets associated with pro-Russian positions, such as Операция Z, cited Putin claiming that the situation at the front for the Ukrainian army is turning from "difficult to catastrophic."

On the other hand, УНИАН and Bloomberg point to a different atmosphere in Moscow, where anxiety among the elite is growing due to the stalemate in the war and the lack of a clear horizon for achieving the Kremlin's goals. According to these reports, Ukraine has managed to stabilize its defensive lines and even regain some territories, partly following the cessation of the Russian army's use of Starlink terminals in the occupied territories.

Regarding international tension, media outlets such as the Independent and RT на русском report on a NATO exercise conducted at the "Charing Cross" underground station in London. In the exercise, dubbed "Arcade Strike," the forces practiced a scenario of a Russian attack on the Baltic states and the use of electronic warfare. Sources in the UK admitted, according to the reports, that the Kingdom's drone inventory would only suffice for about a week of intense fighting, a figure highlighting the production gaps relative to high consumption in Ukraine.

Conflicting reports have emerged on social media regarding Russian logistics. While Военный Осведомитель points to traffic restrictions on the land route to the Crimean Peninsula due to drone threats, Ukrainian sources and ASTRA analyses emphasize that the damage to these supply routes is the result of an increase in the use of advanced UAV technologies. Putin, for his part, reiterated his call to Ukrainian soldiers "not to carry out orders from the bloodthirsty clique in Kyiv," rhetoric reminiscent of his words at the outbreak of the war in February 2022, as noted in Агентство. Новости.