As Trump Withdraws, Putin Begins to Intensify Bombardment of Ukraine

Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Analysis

Analysts have suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a major summer offensive, taking advantage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to withdraw support, including halting weapons aid to Ukraine.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on July 4 (local time), as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth summer, Russia has recently intensified both ground assaults on the front lines and unprecedented bombardments of major cities, including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. On the night of July 3 and into the early hours of July 4, Russian forces launched airstrikes against Ukraine using 539 drones and 11 missiles, resulting in at least one death and injuries to at least 26 people, including children.

Reuters Yonhap News

This was the largest airstrike Russia has carried out against Ukraine since it began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia deployed more attack weapons than in the previous airstrike between the night of June 28 and the early morning of June 29, when it used 477 drones and 60 missiles.

Russia is also intensifying its ground offensives along various parts of the front. Approximately 50,000 troops have been concentrated in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine, and Russian forces have advanced to within about 20 kilometers of the region’s central city. According to the Ukrainian military, Russian combat troops in this area outnumber Ukrainian forces by a ratio of three to one.

For now, Ukrainian forces are holding back further Russian advances, but in some areas, the intensification of Russian offensives is steadily increasing the pressure.

The WSJ analyzed that although the pace of the Russian advance is slow and Russian casualties are high, expanding the territory under its control is not Russia’s main objective at this stage. The WSJ explained that President Putin’s goal is to deplete Ukraine’s manpower and equipment, while also weakening domestic civilian and Western support for Ukraine’s war effort.

On the night of July 3, before launching the airstrikes, President Putin spoke with President Trump by phone, rejecting a ceasefire proposal and emphasizing his determination to restore Russian control over Ukraine. According to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Yuri Ushakov, a close aide to President Putin, stated regarding the call, "Our president told President Trump that Russia will achieve its goals."

The WSJ interpreted Putin’s strategy as seeking to exploit the U.S. withdrawal from the war to intensify pressure on Ukraine’s military and civilians, thereby undermining Ukraine’s ability and will to continue fighting.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.