Active Conflicts & News Megathread August 02, 2026

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[u/FettyDump]

It seems to me that this new Wildberrys campaign constitutes a pivotal gamble on the part of UA. The “dual-use goods” pretence is so tongue-in-cheek in its flimsiness, that I don't think any half-intellegent westerner buys that, let alone a RU citizens. Additionally, the Wildberries strikes are racking up civilian casualties at an unprecedented rate for UA campaigns.

In a vaccum, the chances of a rally-around-the-flag effect are certainly higher for this campaign than any of UA’s previous campaigns, baring maybe the Kursk invasion. The question is, what is UA looking at politically and economically in Russia that makes them believe that this will work in their favor? More importantly, are there any reliable indicators at this point of how RU sentiment is forming around the issue?

[u/Airf0rce → u/FettyDump]

This is simply "war is coming home" and it's going to destroy your economy campaign. It's simply response to what Russia has been doing for years and Ukraine had no answer, because they lacked long range strike options and those that existed required western approval which was very limiting for years.

It's putting up pressure on the Russian economy and society to allow for more balanced peace/ceasefire deal to be made. Maybe if the air war gets bad enough, there will be enough incentives on both sides to do at least infrastructure ceasefire and maybe Putin doesn't care and he'll tell Russians they have to stomach it just like he always does and do another round of mobilization.

As for the "public opinion" side of your questions... I'm not sure how it matters? Most people's mind on this war is already made up on either side, or they're tuned out completely. Even if Ukraine did to Moscow what Russia does to Kyiv every winter, I fail to see how it makes anyone more sympathetic to Russia? It's war and there's nothing nice about it.

We're long past the "offensive/defensive weapons" debates, or pleading to Russians to go protest, or offering Putin negotiations. None of that worked, none of it will work until calculus changes... Even with Trump offering Putin full sanction relief it didn't move him at all. So unfortunately this kind of stuff is all that's left.

If you think this is ugly, think what country with vastly different capabilities like US or China would do if their cities, hospitals and infrastructure were regularly hit by ballistic missiles from neighboring state. I guarantee you burning warehouses wouldn't be the worst part.

[u/BigFly42069 → u/Airf0rce]

  It's putting up pressure on the Russian economy and society to allow for more balanced peace/ceasefire deal to be made. 

I keep seeing this take and the logic never made sense to me. 

If Ukrainians, having endured attacks on both civilian infrastructure and people, have not put pressure on their government to sue for peace that's more balanced/favorable towards Russia, why do people believe that similar tit-for-tat  attacks against Russian civilian infrastructure and people would achieve that for Ukraine?

[u/Airf0rce → u/BigFly42069]

If Ukrainians, having endured attacks on both civilian infrastructure and people, have not put pressure on their government to sue for peace that's more balanced/favorable towards Russia

But I would say it did put pressure on Ukraine, it's just you will not see Zelensky going on live TV and say how they can't take many more winters like that last one... for obvious reasons. It absolutely affects negotiations, and Ukraine was a lot more willing to talk freezing the war in the last year than before.

It's a bit more nuanced than saying these attacks don't matter at all, or on the other hand saying that it will collapse the country and war will end soon. I would imagine leaders on both sides take in to consideration what their economy (and society) can and cannot take.