Russia prepares series of major strikes on Ukraine: What we know

Large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine are likely to resume soon, with prior negotiations and meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump having served as a temporary restraint.

This view was expressed in a comment to TSN.ua by military expert Oleh Zhdanov.

“Putin wanted to avoid Trump calling him out as the aggressor hitting Ukraine. Now, he’ll likely ramp up these strikes, especially since they’ve built up a stock of "Shahed" drones and missiles,” Zhdanov explained.

He believes Putin has two main goals. First, to pressure Ukraine into capitulating and agreeing to terms set by Moscow.

“They think these strikes strengthen their position in talks. At the same time, Putin will try to seize as much Ukrainian territory as possible before Trump realizes he needs to push Russia harder, not just make promises,” Zhdanov noted.