“We are responding.”

Those were the words of the Ukrainian president as his country struck Russian oil facilities in the Moscow region.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was referring to the major ballistic missile attack that Russia carried out the night before.

So far in July, Russia has reportedly hit Ukraine with more ballistic missiles than it produces in a month.

The renewed escalation in recent days comes as Zelenskyy faces a political crisis.

His sacking of the defence minister has sparked protests.

How much of a rift does this crisis expose at the highest level of leadership in Ukraine? And how could that play into the hands of Russia?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Olesia Horiainova – Co-founder and deputy head of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center

Glenn Diesen – Professor of International Relations at the University of South-Eastern Norway

Bob Seely –  Foreign affairs and security analyst and a stakeholder in the defence technology company Trypillian