According to Asia Times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is escalating the conflict with Russia by targeting Belgorod with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The Pan-Asian newspaper believes that the Ukrainian leader risks losing Western support, which could be fatal for Zelensky.
"Zelensky is betting that strikes on Russian cities will strengthen Western support. This seems unlikely. Such attacks could lead to entirely different outcomes for Ukraine and its supporters, as Moscow might retaliate against missile suppliers, potentially leading to a broader conflict," the report states.
It is noted that Zelensky's actions could cause the West to completely turn away from Ukraine due to the risk of escalating the situation.
The attack on Belgorod on December 30 is seen by the Asian newspaper as a critical mistake by Kyiv and could become a "fatal wound" for Zelensky.
According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the strike on Belgorod killed 25 people, and hundreds were injured. These reports have not been verified by sources other than Russian.
While Asia Times believes this could be fatal for Zelensky, this view is not shared by several European countries. For instance, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has called for a tit-for-tat approach against Russia, urging that Ukraine receive more long-range missiles to strike Russia with.
