ANGELO LYNN

Russia’s egregious bombing of civilian areas throughout Ukraine on Tuesday, in which more than 50 people were killed in a single strike on a military academy and nearby hospital in Poltava, should be met by the West with more than moral outrage.

As part of Russia’s Tuesday assault, Moscow launched more than 200 missiles and drones that hit targets in 15 regions of Ukraine — one of the largest attacks on Ukraine since Russia invaded 30 months ago. Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense systems, though enough got through to cause significant damage to the nation’s energy infrastructure and kill and wound a growing number of Ukrainian civilians.

At least 11,520 civilians had been killed in the war as of July 2024, according to a United Nations report, with the Russia strikes often targeting civilian housing, schools and hospitals. Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine and which lies within range of Russian artillery, is a frequent target of Russian attacks and citizens there live in fear of the constant shelling.

On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine again asked for more air defense systems from Western allies.

“We continue to urge everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage,” Mr. Zelensky said in a message on social media.

Military experts noted that ballistic missiles can travel faster than the speed of sound and reach a target anywhere in Ukraine in a matter of minutes, which gives little time for air raid warnings to sound and help people get to safety. In a New York Times report, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said the gap between the sounding of warning sirens and the strike in Poltava was so short on Tuesday that many people were killed on their way to shelter.

While Zelensky has asked for at least seven Patriot batteries to fend off attacks across the country, Germany has sent three and this July President Biden announced a new $225 million aid package, which included a second Patriot missile system. Romania has also pledged one Patriot system, but so far these latter two systems haven’t arrived — a deficit that has allowed Russia attacks to brutalize Ukraine’s citizens.

Zelensky has also asked Western countries to allow Ukraine to target the artillery and ballistic missile launch pads inside Russia, which he did again on Wednesday.

“Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not later,” he said. “Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lost lives.”

If the intent of Western aid is to allow Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s unprovoked invasion — and to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia can’t overrun its neighboring countries with impunity — then it’s clear the current military firepower with restrictions against its use across Russian lines falls short.

Since it appears unlikely the West can get more Patriotic batteries to Ukraine anytime soon, the next best response is to allow Ukraine to target Russian launch sites — and doing so immediately after Russia’s most recent assaults will hopefully make it clear to Putin that the more barbaric, he acts, the more forceful the Western response will be. Further delay only weakens Ukraine and strengthens Putin’s strategy to outlast the West.

Angelo Lynn