Putin setzt im verzweifelten Gegenschlag der Ukraine seine besten Raketen ein

***The Telegraph reports:***

Until this weekend, the prevailing narrative in the Russia-Ukraine war was that [Vladimir Putin](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/vladimir-putin/) was on the back foot.

Ukraine’s [long-range drones](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/20/ukraines-long-range-drones-destroy-russian-jet-on-military/) struck four miles from the Kremlin. Russia’s [victory day parade](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/10/vladimir-putin-victory-day-parade-regime-russia-ukraine/) was only possible because Volodymyr Zelensky agreed not to attack it. Putin now spends much of his time in underground bunkers. The population is frustrated and worried in equal measure as the war is thrust upon them at home.

Looking to arrest the decline, Putin turned to 90 of his biggest, most damaging missiles and fired them at [Kyiv](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/25/how-a-bombed-out-cafe-became-a-symbol-of-hope-in-kyiv/).

On Sunday, every one of the Ukrainian capital’s districts had been hit, by Kh-101 cruise missiles, Iskander-M/S-400s, Kh-47M2 Kinzhals, 3M22 Zircons and one [hypersonic Oreshnik](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/24/putin-hypersonic-missile-kyiv-russia-oreshnik-zelensky/).

Russia fired 83 missiles throughout May 2025. At the weekend, it surpassed that in one barrage.

Moscow was willing to ransack its reserves to send a message. The package of missiles and drones cost some £268m, including the £37m cost of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile that hit the town of Bila Tserkva, some 50 miles south of Kyiv, in only its third use in the war.

On Monday, Russian officials said the attack would be the first of many, vowing to launch fresh waves of “systematic strikes” against “decision-making centres [government buildings] and command posts” in the city and ordering foreign nationals to evacuate.

**Read more:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/26/putin-burns-through-his-best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_reddit_best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/&accesscontrol=facebookchannel_open](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/26/putin-burns-through-his-best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_reddit_best-missiles-in-ukraine-fightback/&accesscontrol=facebookchannel_open)

Performative display, meant to impress the Russian public -who saw right through it, anyway.

It probably did impress Trump, who has the intellectual sophistication of a dull witted child. „So loud! So bright!“

The goal is to spread fear and terror. Their attacks accomplishes very little militarily. They’re wasting all of their few precious missiles which are extremely expensive to make. One missile costs way more than the civilian house they hit.