Ukraine holds firm as Putin ramps up summer offensive

As Kyiv fights back with drones and resolve, Moscow shifts its focus to permanent destabilisation and military attrition

- SAM KILEY

A peevish spokesperson for Vladimir Putin bristled with indignation this week at Donald Trump's description of Russia's invasion of Ukraine as “like kids fighting in the park”.

Not so, Dmitry Peskov pouted; the conflict is an “existential question” for Russia. “This is a question of our security and the future of ourselves and our children, the future of our country,” continued Putin’s spokesman, who has grown more accustomed to preening with pleasure at the relentless assaults on Ukraine from the White House this year.

He is right. Victory for Russia was once defined as regime change in Kyiv. But it really need only be a messed up Ukraine, unstable, violent and impoverished.

Because a democratic Ukraine enjoying cultural renaissance, freedom, and economic growth with lots of Russian speakers shows Russia’s population that there’s an alternative to the kleptocratic autocracy they currently endure.

As the summer fighting season gets underway in the fourth year of Putin’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, Russia has clearly shifted its main effort to permanently destabilising Ukraine.

Kyiv, meanwhile, has demonstrated that it is no longer on the back foot and that it is far from defeated. Indeed two years after its failed summer counter-offensive, Kyiv is growing in strength and confidence.

Ukraine doesn’t have the capacity to drive Russia out of its lands this year. But it is hanging on and by next year may find it has the upper hand as European aid begins to come through to replace the military support that the US has withdrawn.

Donald Trump has provided no new military support this year. About $3.85bn (£2.85bn) remains unspent from previous allocations – after that… nothing.