How Ukraine is bringing the war home to Russia
Ukraine wants to disrupt the convenience of 21st century life for Russians. Will it be effective in ending the war?
Ukrainian drones have been striking major warehouses in Russia, causing millions of dollars in damage to cargo belonging to Wildberries, a Russian Amazon-like company. This is not the only target; Ozon, Russia's second-largest online retailer, is also under attack. Ukraine claims the reason for these strikes is to provide supplies to soldiers on the front lines.
However, Matthew Sussex, a strategic studies professor from Deakin University in Australia, explains that Kyiv's real goal is to disrupt the daily lives of ordinary Russians. When an online order can't be fulfilled due to destroyed merchandise, it indirectly puts pressure on the Russian people, potentially affecting political decisions made by officials like Vladimir Putin.
Despite the ongoing war in its fourth year, there appears to be no end in sight for Putin. He has shown no intention of backing down from the invasion, and the mounting pressures he faces will only intensify. Putin has deeply invested his reputation and political future into the success of this campaign. It would be a significant personal hurdle for him to retreat from his stance, both in terms of his political longevity and his place in Russia's historical narrative.
Matthew Sussex, who has received funding from various Australian institutions, co-wrote and produced this episode of The Conversation Weekly with Isabella Podwinski, Justin Bergman, Lloyd Barrett, and Neeta Sarl.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
