Russian strikes on Kyiv mimic Hitler's futile 1944 London terror - Polish FM

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned on September 8 that Russian President Vladimir Putin is repeating Nazi Germany's failed strategy of terrorizing civilians through city bombardments. Sikorski pointed out that Nazi Germany's use of V-2 ballistic missiles against London in late 1944 resulted in the deaths of approximately 10,000 civilians but ultimately failed to change the course of the war.

He believes Putin is making the same mistake, as striking a city and killing a small number of civilians per day does not diminish the Ukrainian army's ability to defend against Russian forces. Sikorski also suggested that the Kremlin may be attempting to weaken the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, hoping to intimidate the civilian population and suppress support for the political leadership.

This tactic, he noted, has been tried before, such as when the Germans bombed Coventry and London, and ultimately proved counterproductive. On September 8, Russian forces launched ballistic and cruise missile attacks on Kyiv, followed by daytime drone waves, causing casualties and damage in multiple districts. The attack also targeted the headquarters of television channel My—Ukrayina, injuring at least six employees.