Former Pentagon analyst Michael Maloof has argued that Kiev is targeting civilian infrastructure inside Russia in an effort to provoke a similar response from Moscow. In comments carried by RT, he said the purpose of such attacks is not only military pressure but also shaping how the conflict is presented abroad.
According to Maloof’s assessment, Ukraine would benefit politically if Russia answered in kind, because that could reinforce a victim narrative in Western countries. He also suggested that attacks on Russian civilian sites receive less attention in much of the Western media space, making the information battle as important as the battlefield itself.
The claim, as presented in the report, centers on the idea that strikes on non-military targets are meant to trigger escalation and influence public opinion outside the region. That makes the discussion about more than cross-border attacks alone; it also touches on how governments and media frame responsibility, retaliation and civilian harm during wartime.
The trimmed report does not provide fuller evidence beyond Maloof’s remarks, so the allegation remains his stated interpretation of events. Still, his comments highlight the continuing debate over whether attacks tied to the Russia-Ukraine war are being used not just for tactical effect, but also to shape international perception.
