"Bloody War of Cities"? The New Yorker Predicted a New Scenario of Hostilities Between Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine and Russia may face a "bloody war of cities" reminiscent of the Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s, if combat operations on the front remain positional and long-range strikes only intensify. This is stated in a report by The New Yorker, as reported by UNN.

According to the publication, the war is increasingly unfolding on two fronts. 

The first is taking place in Donbas, where Russian troops continue to advance, in particular attempting to capture Kostiantynivka. At the same time, the pace of the Russian offensive in 2026 has significantly slowed. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Russian army suffers over 30,000 casualties per month, advancing in some areas less than 100 meters per day.

The second front is the airspace over Ukraine and Russia. In recent weeks, Ukraine has been increasingly striking targets deep within Russian territory. Among the declared targets were an oil terminal in the area of St. Petersburg, a satellite communications center near Moscow, an enterprise in Volgograd linked to the production of components for the Russian missile program, as well as large oil refineries.

According to the Financial Times, since the beginning of 2026, Ukraine has carried out nearly 200 strikes on Russian oil refineries, which is 11 times more than during the same period last year. As a result of the fuel shortage, according to the publication's estimates, about 50 million residents of Russia have been affected.

In parallel, Ukraine is developing a systematic campaign using drones against Russian air defense, ammunition depots, logistics routes, and military infrastructure. According to Michael Kofman, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the goal is to deprive Russian forces of mobility and complicate their supply.

At the same time, Russia continues massive strikes on Ukrainian cities. In June, Russian troops carried out attacks on Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and other populated areas. In early July, dozens of people were killed as a result of Russian strikes on Kyiv.

The expert noted that Ukraine has significant problems with protection against Russian ballistic missiles. In particular, the country needs additional Patriot systems and interceptor missiles, which are in short supply and require lengthy production.

"If Ukraine finds itself in late autumn or winter without an agreement to cease strikes, it will face a very difficult situation in its cities," Kofman said.

The article also notes that the current stage of the war may resemble the so-called "war of cities" during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. At that time, unable to achieve a decisive result on the front, the sides launched massive missile and air strikes against each other's populated areas.

"The next chapter of the Ukraine-Russia war could become a bloody repetition of this scenario," a source in the Russian defense ministry told the publication.

At the same time, according to him, Ukrainians have already become accustomed to large-scale attacks on cities, while for the Russian population such an experience is relatively new.

Recall

As reported by UNN, in recent months Ukraine has intensified strikes on military and energy facilities on Russian territory, while Russia continues massive attacks on Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure.