According to RT, on May 25, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the Russian Armed Forces have begun a series of strikes targeting Ukrainian defense industry enterprises located in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, with the focus on Ukrainian military command centers and headquarters.

It is reported that the strike targets also include specific locations where drones are designed, produced, programmed, and prepared for deployment—facilities operating under the assistance of NATO experts providing components, intelligence support, and target guidance for the Kyiv regime.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that due to the dispersed nature of these targets across Kyiv, the department urged foreign nationals to evacuate as soon as possible and reminded residents of Kyiv not to approach military or administrative infrastructure.

The statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on May 25, along with the ensuing military operations, marks a new phase in the Russia-Ukraine conflict: a "tit-for-tat" cycle of retaliation accompanied by a significant escalation in the depth and scope of targeted strikes.

This act of retaliation was not without cause. According to Russian reports, the immediate trigger was an attack by Ukrainian forces using drones early on May 22, which struck a vocational college (including classrooms and dormitories) in the city of Starobesheve, Luhansk region. At the time, there were 86 teenagers inside; the attack ultimately resulted in 21 deaths and dozens injured.

Putin expressed outrage over the incident, emphasizing that there were no military installations near the school, accusing Ukrainian forces of deliberately attacking civilians—even killing children—and ordering the Defense Ministry to develop a retaliatory plan. Thus, the Russian military's strike on Kyiv was first and foremost a strongly emotionally charged act of "an eye for an eye."

Differing from past operations that focused solely on frontline positions, this round of Russian retaliation directly targets Ukraine’s rear—the core lifelines of its capital, Kyiv:

Specifically designating “command centers and headquarters” as targets, including high-level nodes such as the Ukrainian Army General Staff and the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. This demonstrates Russia’s intent to cripple Ukraine’s top-tier decision-making capabilities, thereby undermining its system-wide combat effectiveness.

Notably, the strikes explicitly target facilities involved in drone design, production, and programming—those assisted by NATO experts. In recent years, Ukraine’s drone production has experienced explosive growth (reaching several million units in 2025), becoming a key tool for harassing Russian rear areas. Russia’s move aims to cut off Ukraine’s long-range strike capability at its source.

As a prelude to this retaliation, the Russian military launched a highly intimidating air strike in the early hours of May 24.

For the first time, it simultaneously deployed multiple advanced hypersonic missiles—including the “Klyusha” medium-range ballistic missile, “Iskander,” “Kinzhal,” and “Zircon”—in a coordinated, intensive salvo, combined with approximately 600 attack drones carrying out saturation attacks.

Russia repeatedly referenced “NATO expert assistance” in its statement, incorporating foreign personnel providing parts and intelligence support into the logic chain of potential targets. This effectively sends a clear deterrent message to the West: any NATO country or individual deeply involved in the conflict and providing technical support to Ukraine may become a legitimate target for Russian strikes. It represents a psychological warfare tactic akin to “besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,” aiming to increase the political and security costs for Western nations supporting Ukraine.

In summary, Russia’s current operation is no longer confined to frontline skirmishes. Instead, it systematically destroys enemy industrial and command cores in the capital through hypersonic weapons. This is not only retaliation for the Starobesheve tragedy but also an attempt to demonstrate overwhelming firepower and a firm resolve for equivalent retribution—forcing Ukraine and its Western backers to reassess the cost of continuing the conflict.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866186309456896/

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