On October 22, Ivan Stupak, a military expert, spoke in the Center for Public Analytics "Vezha" studio. The discussion focused on recent strikes against key Russian industrial sites in Dagestan, Mordovia, Bryansk, and Leningrad regions. Targets included oil refineries, chemical plants, and gas infrastructure. The effectiveness of some strikes is still being assessed, but it is known that certain facilities have been temporarily or fully disabled.
The expert emphasized that Ukraine’s strike strategy is evolving — now including not only energy but also the chemical sector of the Russian economy. For instance, the Orenburg enterprise, the only one in Russia producing a specific chemical additive for natural gas, was hit.
The conversation also covered Ukraine’s missile capabilities. There is currently a lack of funding for mass production of domestic missiles, as illustrated by the Czech initiative to raise funds for the Ukrainian Flamingo missile. The expert clarified that the problem lies in resources, not in technology or personnel, and that additional financial support could significantly increase Ukraine's weapons production capacity.
Special attention was paid to financial support from Europe — particularly Brussels' decisions on aid packages for Ukraine and the complexities of decision-making within European institutions.
The conversation concluded with prospects for a future Trump-Putin summit, the political implications for Russia, the USA, Europe, and Ukraine, and an analysis of why European financial support is intensifying in the context of upcoming elections and global political processes.
