Russian Military Sees War With Ukraine Turning Into an Iran-Iraq-Style ‘War of Cities’

The Russian military believes the war with Ukraine is gradually approaching a stage resembling the “war of cities” of the Iran-Iraq war.

A source within the Russian military in Moscow shared this with The New Yorker.

The “war of cities” refers to a series of indiscriminate air strikes launched by both sides during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war after fighting on the front lines reached a stalemate.

Signs of such a scenario are already being observed. During a massive attack on Kyiv on the night of July 19, Russian forces used a record number of ballistic missiles — 25 Iskander-M/S-400 missiles and 10 Zircon missiles.

As a result of the attack, according to available data, one person was killed, and 13 others were injured. The consequences of the night strike were recorded in the Desnyansky, Dniprovsky, Solomyansky, Svyatoshynsky, and Shevchenko districts of the capital.

For Ukraine, which has been resisting a full-scale Russian invasion for the fourth year, such a development does not appear to be a new prospect, the media’s source noted.

“They are used to this. And we are facing this for the first time,” the Russian source said.

In effect, this reflects a further intensification of the “air front,” where Ukraine and Russia exchange drone and missile strikes almost daily.

At the same time, what Russian military command has long considered its advantage — the country’s vast strategic depth — is increasingly losing its effectiveness, as Ukrainian drones and missiles are able to hit targets at ever-greater distances.

The Omsk refinery, for instance, was hit at a record distance from the Ukrainian border.

As a result, Russia is increasingly confronting the same challenges it has long imposed on Ukraine.

“They have to defend vast territories, and there are not enough air defense assets to protect them,” Ukrainian military analyst Mykola Beleskov noted.

It was recently reported that, according to the mayor of Moscow, 1,892 Ukrainian drones were spotted flying toward the Moscow region between July 11 and 18.