Russia will not restrain Ukrainian counteroffensive with massive strikes on Kyiv

Massive Russian attacks on Kyiv are not able to significantly prevent the Ukrainian counteroffensive

The Institute for the Study of War shared its usual report. 

American analysts point out that at night and during the day on May 29, Russian troops launched another series of strikes on Ukraine with Iranian-made cruise missiles and drones. 

In particular, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that Russian troops fired 40 Kh-101/Kh-555 missiles, 38 Shahed-131/136 UAVs, and 11 Iskander-M/K missiles. Ukrainian air defense destroyed 36 Kh-101/Kh-555 cruise missiles, 30 drones, and all 11 Iskanders. Missiles and drones were also shot down near Lviv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. At the same time, the port infrastructure in Odesa and a military facility in the Khmelnytskyi region were hit. 

"ISW previously assessed that Russian forces began a new limited air campaign in recent months to degrade Ukrainian counteroffensive capabilities, but that the Russian prioritization of targeting Kyiv is likely further limiting the campaign’s ability to meaningfully constrain potential Ukrainian counteroffensive actions," ISW concluded.