The Ukrainian presidential
advisor is warning
that Moscow should expect
more drone attacks,
saying Russia is getting used
to full fledged war
for the second time in three days.
A drone
hit this high rise
building in the heart of Moscow's
business district.
It houses
some government offices,
including the Ministry
of Economic Development.
Russia is calling it a terrorist attack
and says measures are being taken
but gave gave no details.
Now joined by our former CNN
Moscow bureau chief
Jill Dougherty, currently
adjunct professor
at Georgetown University in Washington.
If you look at the response of Moscow,
do they seem rattled, annoyed,
irritated or worried
Well, I think maybe a combination
of all of that, Richard.
But certainly if you look at the bombings
that Russia carried out after
that attack over the weekend,
I think there's fury in Moscow.
And I think there's concern
because after all,
what Putin's
trying to do with Russian people
and especially,
you know, the well-off, the rich people,
the elite who live in Moscow is to say
everything's normal.
The war is going according to plan, etc..
And this is pretty frightening,
I would think, for people in Moscow
who and don't forget, Richard,
as I'm sure you're well aware.
You know, that is a symbol of Putin's,
you know,
let's say capitalism,
Putin style
capitalism,
Those high rises are really kind
of skyscrapers.
And that's what's being hit.
So how much more does
the Ukrainians have to do in a sense,
to to escalate that?
I mean,
yes, these are serious talk attacks.
That could
create
injuries and deaths,
but their relative pinpricks
in comparison to the full scale war
taking place over in Ukraine
Yeah, I think it depends on what they're
trying to do with this.
I mean, obviously,
we have the propaganda value,
which we just talked about.
There's also, I think the military value.
And you pointed out
that air defenses in Moscow
were able to knock them down,
electronic warfare, etc.
But the fact that they were
able to go back, the Ukrainians
apparently to that very same building
just a couple of days later,
I think is significant.
The fact that they were able to target
something in Moscow from
we don't know exactly the distance,
but that's militarily significant.
And then do
they want to carry out
destruction in Moscow?
That's not really clear.
You know, it's
one or two drones,
but it's now happening more frequently.
So I think a lot of that depends on
what, you know, what is the endgame here?
They obviously, the Ukrainians obviously
would like to have Moscow suffer
for what's been happening.
But I don't know precisely with their
their purposes. Sure.
Because the ultimate thing,
of course, is that attacks in Russia,
domestic Russia, if you will,
escalate the
the Putin's
administration's
claim of being attacked at home
and therefore escalate.
I'm dancing around the nuclear
question here because,
you know, it's
one thing
to say,
let's attack Crimea and Donetsk and those
and those places
that are not accepted
generally outside of Russia
as being part of Russia.
But attacking directly
then does leave credence
to a higher escalation of warfare.
Yes.
And then, of course, what does Russia do?
And, you know, Putin has said
that if the homeland, you know,
Russia is attacked
then they have the right
to defend themselves
and obviously with nuclear weapons.
But I think you have to define, okay,
what kind of nuclear weapons
we've got tactical
you know, the short range
which could be used by Russia in Ukraine,
if I think they decided Putin decided
that if there is a real threat,
it is entirely possible that he would.
Now, do
experts believe that he would start
a nuclear war
with strategic,
you know, the giant missiles
that would hit the United States, etc.?
A lot of people say no.
And I would tend to think
that that's probably correct.
But tactical,
you know,
if we're we're in a new territory now
where Ukraine is finding it
easier to hit the Russian homeland.
And that is a game changer anywhere
you look at.
Jill Dougherty joining us this evening.
Thank you.
A tiny village in Ukraine is symbolizing
the enormous challenge
that the government troops are facing
in their ongoing counteroffensive.
Even when they do manage
to recapture territory from Russia,
the fight is far from over.
They have to defend
and then hold that ground.
CNN's Nick
Paton Walsh has visited
the southern front lines.
The fight so fierce and victory
so bitter,
there is little left of Stottlemeyer
to defend it from.
No cover for troops, no structures,
just the dust of a tiny
four road village.
The first gains
of Ukraine's renewed
full throttle counter offensive.
So small, but symbolic.
Russia even claimed Monday
with constant shelling.
It had pushed Ukraine out of it again
by calling this
something these men,
fresh back from that fight,
would scoff at
what you see, crevasse is callsign.
For all the ten days of the assault
until the Russians finally fled
Here is
the shells rolling around
in the initial advance
this was
against the when you assault under enemy
shelling,
he says you have nowhere to hide.
That's the hardest part.
What they've since tried
to assault again twice with small groups
and he fought for here two nights.
Guccione, the town before it
where the Russians hit
200 troops in the basements,
not even leaving for the toilet.
So Ukraine attacked with a small force
He takes us to where the Russians made
their final stand.
The school hall and its corridors.
There is no love, he says. The Wall
They seem to relish the nothing
they brought.
And left no clues as to why they fought.
One of the hard things
for the Ukrainians to understand is quite
why the Russians are fighting so hard.
For here
now, scootch now and more recent victory.
Of starting my own ski down the road.
Is it
that these are their last
lines of defense? Well, no.
They think there's far more
fighting to be done.
The energy is coming.
You. I hope so.
When we get through
their last line of defense, he says.
Then they start to run.
For now,
they still feel
there is something behind them.
Yeah, we
feel support, but we are very very tired.
I don't really
like the Third World meal.
There is so much more ahead to come.
Ukraine may have put in its reserves
now to the fight,
but they face the same Russian brutality
Some of the tactics haven't changed,
he says.
They put the Stormzy convicts in front
with no communications or information.
They stand till the death.
I don't understand their motivation
or what they're fighting for.
The river carries a new Russian AK 12
as a trophy,
as he describes the gas they used on him.
There was chaotic shooting, he says.
To find out where we were then for gas.
You don't feel it.
It moves slow along the ground.
I was packing my rucksack
when I felt burning on my throat
and knows why we choose to sleep.
Meanwhile, one mine Sapper Callsign Vault
is busy telling me
how the Russians have started booby
trapping mines.
Putting a grenade under an anti-tank mine
when he's interrupted while at the
crack of
it's
almost endless.
The noise of outgoing fire.
They are moving,
but just not sure how much longer for
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN,
the scrutiny Ukraine.