The attack on Kyiv in broad daylight may have been part of a new Russian plan
Russia launched a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv in the afternoon of July 24, although such attacks usually take place at night. An expert believes this may have been an attempt to wear down Ukraine’s air defense, a show of force, or the result of a technical delay in the missile launch.
On July 24, Russian forces launched a ballistic strike on Kyiv in broad daylight. This timing is atypical for the occupiers, as they most often launch missiles at the capital at night or in the early morning. Anton Zemlyany, a senior analyst at the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, cited three possible reasons why Russia acted differently this time.
According to the expert, Russia is currently actively stockpiling missiles, so it is likely preparing for a new massive bombardment of Ukraine. At the same time, the daytime strike on Kyiv may indicate a change in tactics or the execution of a specific plan. The analyst cites a technical delay as the first possible reason. He said the Russians may have planned the attack for the night of July 23–24, but due to certain technical issues, the launch took place much later.
The second possibility is a show of force. Zemlyany suggests that the decision to launch the strike may have been made deliberately to demonstrate Russia’s capabilities or to divert attention from other events. “In addition, representatives from the U.S. had visited Kyiv the day before. And such a strike while the delegation—or at least part of it—was in the capital appears to be a certain signal and a show of force,” the expert noted.
At the same time, he does not rule out that the Kremlin was attempting to divert the Russian public’s attention from Ukrainian strikes on targets within Russian territory. Zemlyanoy considers the third version—an attempt to wear down Ukraine’s air defense—to be the most likely.
According to him, the daytime launch of ballistic missiles may have been intended to force the Ukrainian military to use expensive interceptor missiles. After that, Russia may attempt to launch a new, massive combined strike at night. “Thus, the Russians may be preparing for a massive combined strike on the capital as early as tonight,” the analyst concluded.
At the same time, it is worth noting that this is merely an expert’s assessment. There is currently no official confirmation of the reasons why Russia changed the timing of the attack.
The Ministry of Defense has codified and authorized the use of the new Ukrainian-made B-1 unmanned aerial system within the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These ultralight bombers are designed to strike concentrations of personnel, vehicles, and armored equipment.
