Ukraine's acting defence minister says damage inflicted on Russia should be 50 times greater than cost of strikes

Acting Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara has said that Ukraine must respond to the Russians asymmetrically, and that the cost of damage inflicted on Russia should be 50 times greater than the cost of Ukrainian strikes.

Source: Khmara in an interview with American influencer Laura Loomer

Details: When asked by Loomer how Ukraine has managed not only to hold back but also to inflict serious damage on a far larger army, Khmara answered directly: "We can't go punch for punch. We have to be asymmetric."

He said the goal is for the cost of Ukrainian strikes to amount to around 2% of the damage inflicted on Russia. This also applies to Operation Spiderweb – the bold drone attack on Russia's fleet of strategic bombers, carried out by a unit he previously commanded.

Khmara explained that Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil infrastructure and innovative drone campaigns are aimed at inflicting damage on Russia that significantly exceeds Ukraine's costs in carrying out these attacks.

He also said that, while Russia seeks to make everyday life unbearable for ordinary Ukrainians, Kyiv is deliberately focusing on Russia's military-industrial complex, particularly oil refineries, transport hubs and similar targets.

Background: On 16 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tasked Khmara, then acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), with heading the Ministry of Defence. The president said Khmara has gained extensive experience in conducting technological strike operations, and this is where Ukraine's defence in the war should focus.

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