The attack on Zaporizhzhia is not a "response" to Engels, says Alexey Kopytko.

Russian terrorists deliberately killed and injured dozens of civilians in Zaporizhzhia.

This is yet another demonstration of their tactics. Just compare.

Unknown drones struck an oil depot in the Engels area. About 660 km in a straight line. The target is a facility that supplies fuel to the Russian long-range aviation, which bombards Ukrainian cities with missiles. A surgically precise hit. An absolutely legitimate target, so even in Russia, there is complete understanding.

The total damage is currently unknown. The facility has 56 fuel tanks, and it has been confirmed that 3 of them were hit. There are another 7 tanks at the airfield itself. So, formally, the damage is not dramatic. But this is just one strike. And tanks cannot be easily moved elsewhere or buried quickly. Even with a significant increase in air defense (which needs to be relocated from somewhere), the risk of destroying the facility remains; it is effectively doomed.

The striking potential of Ukrainian drones and missiles is increasing. The most valuable resources in Russia—hydrocarbons and the related infrastructure—are under threat.

Meanwhile, Russia attacks the most precious asset in Ukraine—its people. This is not a "response" to Engels. This is a cannibalistic practice that has been employed since the first days of the full-scale invasion to break the will to resist.

I am confident that the attack on Zaporizhzhia is not linked to Engels but is timed to coincide with the latest "Ramstein" meeting. This has been the case almost every time.

The recipe for combating this has long been known to all: eliminating Russian airfields (to sharply reduce the effectiveness of guided aerial bombs) and increasing air defense/missile defense. Our partners have the resources that will allow this task to be solved very quickly.

If, instead, calls begin to "stop the loss of life" through concessions from Ukraine, this would be a blatant game in favor of Moscow.