Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has announced Russia's intention to intensify strikes on Ukraine in order to further destroy the logistical support of Ukrainian forces. Shoigu indicated a likely increase in the use of drones and missiles in the coming weeks to inflict maximum damage on Ukrainian infrastructure and the defense-industrial base before receiving assistance from the United States.
This follows a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts suggest that Shoigu's focus on strikes on Ukrainian logistics could mean that Russian forces could change their targets to hit Ukrainian transport infrastructure, logistics and military storage facilities.
Russian forces have already launched heavy strikes on Ukrainian transport infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region on April 19, and may plan to repeat and expand these strikes in the coming weeks to cut off Ukrainian lines of communication.
“The Russian military command may hope that coordinated efforts to block will limit Ukraine’s ability to distribute manpower and materiel to critical areas of the front, and delay the improved capabilities that the arrival of American security assistance will provide to Ukrainian forces,” the analysts said.
Shoigu himself said on Tuesday, April 23, that the Russian army would increase the intensity of strikes on Ukraine, in particular, targeting logistics centers and Western weapons storage bases.
