Ukraine bergegas memperkuat pertahanan udara ketika jeda serangan Putin mendekati akhir

(SeaPRwire) –   Ukraina sedang bergegas memperkuat pertahanan udaranya seiring dengan jeda singkat serangan Rusia terhadap Kyiv dan kota-kota lain yang mendekati batas waktu berakhir, dan ahli militer serta diplomat memperingatkan bahwa langkah ini mungkin tidak banyak mengubah kondisi di medan perang dan pada akhirnya bisa memperkuat posisi negosiasi Moskow.

Sebelumnya pada Jumat, Presiden mengatakan di Gedung Putih, “Saya pikir kita sangat dekat untuk mendapatkan penyelesaian,” sambil mengungkapkan optimisme tentang pembicaraan Rusia-Ukraina yang akan datang. “Zelenskyy dan Putin saling membenci, dan itu membuatnya sangat sulit, tetapi saya pikir kita memiliki peluang bagus untuk menyelesaikannya.”

Kremlin mengatakan Presiden Vladimir Putin setuju dengan permintaan pribadi dari Trump untuk menghentikan serangan udara terhadap Kyiv sampai 1 Februari untuk menciptakan apa yang digambarkan sebagai kondisi yang menguntungkan untuk negosiasi. Pejabat Ukraina menekankan bahwa tidak ada gencatan senjata formal.

Seiring dengan suhu di Kyiv yang diperkirakan akan turun ke minus 26 derajat Celsius mulai Minggu, Presiden Volodymyr Zelenskyy mengatakan Ukraina sedang bergerak untuk memperkuat pertahanan udara jarak pendek terhadap drone untuk melindungi kota-kota garis depan di selatan dan timur laut.

“Perlindungan terhadap drone Rusia harus diperkuat di kota-kota kita, seperti Kherson dan Nikopol, serta di komunitas perbatasan wilayah Sumy, di mana Rusia pada dasarnya telah mengatur ongoing ‘safari’ terhadap warga sipil,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

Meskipun ada jeda, anggota parlemen Rusia dan pimpinan daerah telah secara publik mendorong eskalasi. Pembicara parlemen Rusia Vyacheslav Volodin mengatakan anggota parlemen menyerukan penggunaan more powerful “weapons of retribution,” sementara pemimpin Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov mengatakan dia menentang negosiasi sama sekali.

Dengan latar belakang itu, ahli told Digital the pause appears far more symbolic than transformative.

Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, a retired Navy SEAL and deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, said the halt in strikes reflects rather than a military shift.

“It’s symbolic in the sense of the dialogue and where we are in the negotiations,” Harward told Digital. ” wants to illustrate to the U.S. that his relationship with Putin delivers results. This is a validation of that relationship, which could be an indicator of where the overall negotiations are on ending the war.”

Carrie Filipetti, executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition and a former senior State Department and U.S. Mission to the United Nations official, said should not be misread as a move toward peace.

“While I am certain that Ukrainian civilians welcome any brief pause, they also aren’t holding their breath because Putin’s war machine will not stop until his calculus is changed on the risks of continuing his war,” Filipetti said.

She added that the short duration of the pause leaves Ukraine exposed.

“Given how short the pause is and the duplicity of Russia saying it agreed to a week-long pause that expires in two days, this does not meaningfully change any conditions on the battlefield,” she said.

Harward said Ukraine could face diplomatic consequences once the pause expires.

“The risk to Ukraine is that this further weakens and isolates their role and position in the negotiations,” he said.

Zelenskyy has also warned that Ukraine’s ability to defend civilians has been strained by delays in . He said European allies delayed payments under the PURL weapons purchase program, leaving Ukraine without Patriot air defense missiles ahead of recent Russian strikes that knocked out power across parts of Kyiv.

“This is a critical issue for protecting civilians and Ukrainian cities and Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the brutally cold winter months,” Filipetti said. “As President Zelenskyy has said, there will be no electricity and therefore no heat for civilians if they don’t have enough Patriot missiles to defend against Russia’s ballistic missiles.”

Harward noted that the problem extends beyond Ukraine. 

“Air Defense has been in high demand globally, considering the ,” he said. “Resources, expenses and the increased time to deliver and implement the capabilities add to the challenge.”

On whether the pause could open the door to broader de-escalation, both experts expressed caution.

“This tactical pause only serves to reinforce Russia’s negotiating position,” Harward said. “Putin is showing the world that he is willing to listen and respond. In return, he’ll want more support of his position and demands.”

“Only time will tell,” Filipetti said. “Diplomacy can always appear fruitless until there is a real deal. If this short pause, delivered by President Trump’s continued engagement and pressure on Putin, can be used to build additional , that would be a very positive outcome.”

Reuters contributed to this report.