Russia Turns to Terror Tactics, Targeting Ukrainian Civilians as Frontlines Stall

Since the start of its "special military operation" in February 2022, Russia has suffered roughly 500,000 soldier deaths and a depleted economy, prompting a turn toward terror tactics against Ukrainian civilians. The most striking example was a glide-bomb strike on a bus in Kramatorsk that killed thirty people and injured at least eighteen, followed by a drone-delivered explosive that killed a child. The article points to President Donald Trump's purchase of diesel fuel from Russia as a factor fueling the conflict.

While Ukraine has hit Russian data centers operated by Yandex without causing casualties, Russia’s attacks aim to kill and spread fear. The piece lists previous incidents—including a children’s hospital in 2024, an apartment complex in 2023, and Syrian targets in 2020 and 2016—to illustrate a consistent pattern of deliberate civilian targeting. It concludes that, rather than seeking peace, Russia is using terrorism to force Ukrainians from their homes, and calls for decisive Western punitive measures.