The Escalating Cycle of Threats and Bluster Recent Russian strikes on Ukraine have left three civilians dead and dozens wounded, marking the latest manifestation in an escalating cycle of threats and bluster between Moscow and European leaders.
Vladimir Putin's warning to Europe that sending troops into Ukraine would mean a war with Russia is a familiar trope from the ongoing conflict, but its context is worth examining.
The attacks on Ukraine's power grid, which have been ongoing for weeks, aim to demoralize civilians ahead of winter by creating a humanitarian crisis that will pressure European leaders to reconsider their support for Ukraine.