Text | Xiaoxiang 12th Floor

Editor at the 12th floor.

A missile knocked down a building, but shook the nerves of Europe. On August 28, the Russian army raided Kiev in the early morning of the morning, and multiple "daggers" hypersonic missiles and drones went into battle. Not only did Ukraine shake the earth, but also the offices of the European Union in Kiev and the British Council were not spared. This wave of operation is equivalent to burning artillery directly to the door of the West.

Von der Leyen "broke defenses" on the spot and promised to arm Ukraine to the teeth. Here's the question: Was this just an accidental bombing, or was it a "precise provocation" by Moscow? Is the West really ready to fight an "infinity war" for Ukraine?

Missile strikes or intends to strike? conflict escalation signal bomb

This round of air strikes by the Russian army is no longer the routine of "stopping after hitting a dozen military bases" in the past. This time, we hit the most symbolic place-Western agencies in Ukraine.

According to the Ukrainian side, several civilian buildings in Kiev were damaged, and the building where the EU delegation was located was directly affected. Russia says that the strike was "military and logistical facilities", and civilian damage was blamed for the Ukrainian air defense system's misattack. It sounds like the logic of "I throw stones, you hit them yourself."

But the real warning is,Russia has publicly admitted for the first time that it used the "Dagger" hypersonic missile to enter the war¡£This weapon, which is too fast to be stopped, was previously used to intimidate and show off muscles, but now it is directly used in actual combat, which shows that Russia is no longer reserved about the escalation of the conflict. Not only must we fight, but we must also make it impossible for our opponents to stop or evade.

And to hit the European Union and British cultural institutions, even if it¡¯s ¡°misleading,¡±It's equivalent to directly stabbing the face of the West¡£ This is not "the spread of war", but more like "burning eyebrows". From a tactical point of view, this wave of air strikes hit Ukraine's military industry and command structure; From a strategic perspective,It¡¯s Russia testing NATO¡¯s red line, to see if you¡¯re going to start for Ukraine.

Von der Leyen is furious, the United States watches coldly, and the Western United front is crumbling

Von der Leyen's response was "hysterical": sanctions, asset freezes, and increased military aid, a combination of fierce punches. She even brought up the previous "Steel Porcupine" plan,To turn Ukraine into a hedgehog with thornsBut the problem is that this operation has been repeated more than once ¨C from 2022 until now, sanctions have been imposed, aid has been provided, and the Russian military has not fallen.

And the EU is not monolithic. Countries such as Hungary and Slovakia have long backed down from military aid to Ukraine. Some are worried about being dragged into the water, while others are simply afraid of cutting off gas and power. This "unity" play is lively on the stage, and everyone has his own abacus off the stage.

In contrast, the attitude of the United States is much colder. The Trump administration's response can be summed up in one sentence: "Not happy, but not surprised."

They approved arms sales for 825 million dollars, and the equipment is not bad, GPS navigation, ERAM missiles are available, but the implication is: "You can pay for it, you'd better pay for it yourself." This is equivalent to selling arms as commodities,The war was fought by Ukraine, and the bill was signed by the EU.

More subtly, just as the missile flew, representatives of the United States and Russia met in Alaska. From the battlefield to the negotiating table, the United States is selling guns while watching the situation. On the surface, it sides with Ukraine, but in fact it still wants to control the war within the framework of "proxies".They don't want to lose, but they don't want to play in person either.

This is not a war in Ukraine, but a testing ground for the global order

From the beginning of this "misbase", the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has become less and less like a partial war.It¡¯s more like a global strategy experiment.Russia is fighting, not only Ukraine's rear, but also the face of the West; the West is assisting, not only the Ukrainian army, but also its own credit. Ukraine's current situation, to put it bluntly, is "relying on aid to survive", but will aid bring short-term life-saving or long-term dependence?

While calling for help, Zelensky also attacked Russian refineries across borders,But this cycle is not destined to bring peace.Ukraine wants to restore the 1991 border, Russia wants to preserve the land that has been swallowed, one wants to take it all back, and one cannot retreat.

The United Nations has also become a "background board". Secretary-General Guterres called for an "unconditional ceasefire" several times, but no one listened.Oudo sees the United Nations as a moral arena, but no one really expects it to function.The silence of countries in the Global South is also intriguing. Economic powers like India and Brazil don't express their views, but they think about food, energy and stability.They don¡¯t want to choose sidelines, they¡¯re more afraid to get caught up.

conclusion

This war is now not just about Ukraine. It has torn open the rifts in the Western alliance and exposed the cards of great power strategy. The European Union wants to unite, but is hampered by energy dependence; the United States wants to control, but does not want to really intervene; Russia wants to expand, but also counts the cost of a long war. Ukraine has become the "battlefield spokesperson" of all this.

It is not only a weapons testing ground, but also a diplomatic exercise ground, and a frontier for the reshaping of global rules.Every explosion, not only in Kiev, but also shakes the nerves of the entire international order."Arm Ukraine to the teeth" is the slogan and a portrayal of the dilemma.

When war becomes the norm, when aid becomes dependence, and when negotiations become dead, people have to face a bigger question-will this global tug-of-war eventually drag the entire world into a new "Cold War era"? In this battle with no bottom line, missiles hit buildings, but tested people's hearts and will. Who can carry it to the end depends not on the number of weapons, but on who has a way out.

reference

Luzhong Morning News, Russian air strikes! European Union in Udai table building damaged, Trump: "dissatisfied" but "not surprised"