Union foreign affairs expert Roderich Kiesewetter thinks the recent drone attacks on buildings in Moscow could be a possible deception maneuver by the Russian power apparatus. The CDU politician told the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Wednesday edition) that Russia could achieve more strategic added value from staging the drone attacks than Ukraine from such actions. “It is not possible to determine who is actually responsible for the drone attacks,” emphasized Kiesewetter. Ukraine, which has denied responsibility, cannot derive any military benefit from such drone strikes.
Russian partisans could also have carried out any attacks, but one must also ask what motives the Kremlin might have for the staging, emphasized the military expert. “Two strategic goals come into question here: preparing Russian society for further mobilization and the hybrid influencing and weakening of Western support for Ukraine,” said Kiesewetter. “A staging of attacks on civilian targets in Moscow could therefore be an indication that a major mobilization in Russia is pending and should therefore be prepared for propaganda purposes,” explained the foreign policy expert.
Further support planned for Ukraine
Russia may also aim to prevent Western support for Ukraine with F16 fighter jets, long-range munitions and cruise missiles. “Because Russia knows very well that attacks on Russian territory and on civilian facilities are a red rag for many Western supporters, especially in Germany,” said Kiesewetter. “Thus, the Kremlin could raise doubts about the reliability and trustworthiness of Ukraine and try to prevent a possible delivery of cruise missiles or fighter jets,” he added.
“We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be unsettled in supporting Ukraine and we should push ahead with the F-16 alliance and the delivery of long-range ammunition such as Taurus cruise missiles,” demanded the CDU politician. “Ukraine is only interested in hitting military targets and supply lines, ammunition depots and command stations of the Russians, so that terror by Russia finally stops,” emphasized Kiesewetter. “Again and again, anti-aircraft missiles of the type S-300 are used by Russia. This is particularly cruel and brutal because these systems are very inaccurate and Russia is therefore deliberately shooting at and destroying civilian targets in Ukraine,” said the former Bundeswehr colonel.
