Russia escalates Ukraine war with massive retaliation against Kyiv

Russia has launched massive retaliatory strikes against Kyiv following Ukrainian attacks on its infrastructure. The escalation confirms that Moscow is unwilling to back down in what it views as an existential proxy war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's missile and drone strikes against Russian targets inevitably triggered a forceful response, as Russia demonstrates its capacity and will to match escalation. The conflict has exposed Ukraine and its supporters, particularly Germany, as security risks, with the Ukrainian civilian population bearing the brunt of the consequences. The situation is framed as Russia's most severe existential crisis since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.