--- title: "Phantom Pains of the Kremlin: Three Real Reasons for the New Wave of Threats Against Kyiv" description: "The CCD revealed three hidden reasons why the Kremlin is threatening Kyiv again: from helplessness on the front to fear of diplomats. πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸš« Experts call these actions Russia's \"phantom pains,\" trying to hide its real problems. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸ›‘οΈ" date: 2026-05-26T20:33:31.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/phantom-pains-of-the-kremlin-three-real-reasons-for-the-new-wave-of-threats-against-kyiv tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Phantom Pains of the Kremlin: Three Real Reasons for the New Wave of Threats Against Kyiv ![Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, comments on Russia's threats](https://xab.info/media/2026/05/27/fantomnye-boli-kremla-tri-prichiny-ugroz-kievu/andriy-kovalenko-ccd.webp) Why is Moscow once again talking about "retribution" and strikes on the Ukrainian capital? The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) provided answers to this question. Experts analyzed the Kremlin's rhetoric and identified three fundamental reasons driving the Russian leadership to escalate verbal aggression. ### Hidden Weakness on the Front The first, and perhaps most obvious, reason is the lack of strategic victories for the Russian army. When nothing significant happens on the battlefield, the propaganda machine runs idle. To compensate for this and create an appearance of activity, the Kremlin resorts to a tactic of terror against the civilian population. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the CCD, points out directly: without real military successes, the Russian leadership officially declares a course of intimidation. The goal is simple β€” to break the will of Ukrainians, make them feel helpless, and incline them toward capitulation. However, history has already shown that such psychological attacks do not work: Ukrainians do not surrender but only unite. ### Panic Before Diplomats The second reason lies in Moscow's desire to control the international presence in Kyiv. The Kremlin fears that a random rocket hitting the embassy building of an influential country could become a reason for harsh international condemnation. To avoid this, Russia tries to provoke diplomats to leave the capital on their own. The scenario that played out at the beginning of the full-scale invasion no longer works today. The world is no longer afraid of the Russian army, which has demonstrated its weakness. Russia's influence in the Caucasus, the Middle East, and post-Soviet countries is rapidly declining. The remaining "phantom pains" from losing this influence make them nervous and threatening. ### Distracting Attention from Internal Problems The third reason is purely internal. The Kremlin needs to distract its own population from reality: Ukraine is successfully striking military objects on Russian territory, and Moscow cannot protect its regions. Russian strategists mistakenly believe that shelling Kyiv will somehow save their capital. In fact, they are only bringing the war closer to Moscow. As Kovalenko summarized: "Only peace can protect from this, which Putin does not want". These words were made against the backdrop of one of the largest strikes in recent times. On the night of May 24, Russia launched about 90 missiles and 600 drones at Ukraine, making Kyiv the main target. Air defense radars could not intercept all targets, confirming the growing power of the attacks. Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova has already warned that the strikes will continue, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing an official statement for foreign diplomats.