Drone attacks on Russian territory, which have become noticeably more frequent in recent weeks, are intended to demonstrate to the Ukrainian public that Kyiv has something to respond to Moscow's actions, the New York Times writes, citing American officials.
This tactic is especially important given the slow pace of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Over the summer, the attacks, many of which were carried out using Ukrainian-made drones, damaged buildings in central Moscow, disrupted airport operations and destroyed a Russian supersonic bomber near Veliky Novgorod.
These strikes did not cause significant damage to Russia's military potential, but they also did not lead to an escalation.
Officially, Ukraine does not claim responsibility for the drone attacks, but GUR representative Andriy Yusov told the NYT last month that strikes against Moscow will continue.
"The Russian elite and ordinary Russians now understand that the war is not somewhere far away, on the territory of Ukraine, which they hate," Yusov explained.
However, U.S. officials say there is a more important audience for these strikes. If the drone attacks have a strategic goal, it is to boost the morale of the Ukrainian population and military.
In June, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian troops occupying the southern and eastern parts of the country. However, it is proceeding at a much slower pace than expected. Having made little progress on the battlefield, Ukraine has intensified drone attacks in Crimea, as well as in the border and far-flung areas of Russia, the NYT reports.
Despite the limited effect of the attacks, U.S. officials expect Ukraine to continue to strike Russian territory. In their view, this sends an important signal: Kyiv is not just defending its territory, but is also ready to strike back.
At about 3 a.m. on August 26, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and the Russian Defense Ministry said that another drone was shot down on its approach to the capital. According to their information, it was shot down in the Istra district with the help of air defense systems.