Ukraine's paradox: It can now strike further into Russia, but its heart is still dangerously vulnerable

In its 5th summer of war, Ukraine is facing a paradox: As it becomes more capable of striking deep into Russia, it’s becoming less capable of protecting its own cities.

It’s the best of times for making Russians inside Russia pay a price for this war, both economically and in terms of their sense of safety. At last count, Ukrainian long range drones have struck 18 distribution hubs for Wildberries, the Russian equivalent to Amazon, which also distributes military equipment.

In Russian occupied areas, Ukraine is decimating the Russian supply chain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that on most summer nights, long distance drone attacks on Russian oil refineries work to hit the Kremlin where it hurts most: In its pocketbook. Zelenskyy sarcastically dubs these sanctions. This weekend, more than 350 miles from Ukraine, was the most recent of around two dozen such strikes since June.

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But it’s also the worst at times for Ukrainian civilians attacked by Russian drones and ballistic missiles. These strikes have killed at least 575 Ukrainians in the last two months, the most deadly two-month stretch since the early days of the war.

The reason is simple, and admitted plainly by Zelenskyy: Ukraine has run out of American Patriot interceptors, which are the only system capable of stopping Russian ballistic missiles.

Russia fired 27 ballistic missiles at Ukraine on Saturday, primarily at Kyiv. Ukraine used its last Patriots to shoot down one of them.

Kyiv has rarely been this vulnerable, but some there believe the Kremlin may be vulnerable too. They hope the costs of the war are finally catching up with Vladimir Putin. For many Ukrainians, that possibility offers some meaning to so much loss.

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