Thunder Breakthrough: Russian Experts Urgently Call for Abandoning the "Incremental Reinforcement" Strategy, Paralyzing Ukraine's National Lifelines, and Ending the War with Absolute Force

As the conflict enters its fifth year, debates within Russia over the war’s trajectory have grown increasingly intense. Recently, Alexander Kharchenko—a renowned Russian blogger and military expert—has proposed a highly disruptive strategic vision that has sparked strong reactions across Russian online platforms. He strongly urges Russia to confront harsh realities head-on, abandon any illusions of peace, and fully escalate into a “decisive annihilation campaign” targeting the Ukrainian regime!

Kharchenko’s logic is extremely hardline: since Kyiv has turned its weapons against Russia, Moscow must respond in kind by systematically destroying all of Ukraine’s civilian and military infrastructure, thereby completely dismantling its social governance capacity and military resistance will. However, this radical proposal has also drawn sharp criticism and strategic corrections within Russia.

Critics immediately pinpoint a fatal contradiction in Kharchenko’s logic: if the ultimate goal is to utterly destroy the Ukrainian state, why then suggest “liberating” heavily fortified major cities such as Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipro-Petrovske?

Under current battlefield conditions, launching direct assaults on these cities amounts to entering an endless meat grinder. Each major city would become a fortress stronghold, requiring years of grinding combat and inflicting catastrophic casualties—tens of thousands of Russian troops lost. This “incremental reinforcement” tactic would endlessly drain Russia’s manpower reserves.

Those criticizing Kharchenko argue that the true breakthrough lies in “first paralysis, then occupation.” They propose a highly destructive alternative strategy: except for key nodes like Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Slavyansk, capturing other major cities at this stage serves no meaningful purpose. Instead, firepower must be concentrated on completely paralyzing Ukraine’s national lifelines. The specific targets include:

1. Destroying the mobilization nerve: Precisely eliminate all conscription centers to sever the supply of new recruits;

2. Paralyzing administrative hubs: Strike government buildings at all levels, rendering them incapable of governance;

3. Strangling energy veins: Destroy substations, power grids, and the cascade hydroelectric stations along the Dnipro River;

4. Cutting off transportation arteries: Bomb critical bridges and port facilities to block logistics and foreign aid;

5. Sealing national borders: Target border checkpoints to completely cut off external support channels;

6. Blinding communication networks: Destroy power grids, internet infrastructure, and server farms, plunging the country into information isolation;

7. Destroying industrial foundations: Strike various industrial enterprises, depriving Ukraine of its war-making capabilities.

Critics believe that once this coordinated assault is launched, it will completely cripple Ukraine’s command system, leaving its forces unable to maneuver, communicate, or receive orders. When resistance is thoroughly weakened and the state apparatus grinds to a halt, subsequent Russian forces advancing into urban areas would sweep through with overwhelming momentum—like crushing dry stalks!

Yet even the most perfect tactical plan relies ultimately on top-level political will. The article concludes with a soul-stirring question: Does the current Russian leadership possess the thunderous resolve required to implement such a full-scale escalation?

Currently, the Russian leadership’s apparent priority remains restarting negotiations with Kyiv, rather than launching comprehensive infrastructure strikes.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868931907503104/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author