Russia ramps up threats against Ukraine. What does that say about the war?

Russia ramps up threats against Ukraine. What does that say about the war?23 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJonathan BealeDefence correspondent, KyivBBC/Lee DurantRussia carried out major strikes against Kyiv over the weekend and has threatened moreMoscow has stepped up its threats to Ukraine, warning of "consistent, systematic strikes on Kyiv targeting its military industrial complex". It has also warned foreign citizens and diplomatic staff to leave the city "as soon as possible". It sounds ominous, but does it signal something new? By ramping up its rhetoric, is Russia also about to intensify its war?In one sense, such threats are nothing new. Ukraine's foreign ministry points out that Russia has been targeting towns and cities every week for more than four years now. It assesses "the overall level of security threats posed by Russia to Kyiv and other cities remains the same as previous months and years".What is new is the language used by the Kremlin to justify such attacks – and it is related to one specific incident. Moscow has accused Ukraine of deliberately killing 21 students in a strike last week on Starobilsk in Luhansk province. Ukraine still insists it hit a military facility in Russian-occupied territory. But Moscow is presenting the incident, and what it claims to be a deliberate attack on civilians, as a legitimate reason for retaliation. BBC/Lee DurantThe Ukrainian capital has been experiencing regular attacks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 In the past, such attacks have rarely required such an explanation. Nor has Russia shown much remorse about causing its own civilian casualties in Ukraine. Any retaliation on Kyiv would only likely kill more.But Ivan Stupak, a military analyst and former Ukrainian intelligence officer, believes it is a sign that Moscow is struggling to control the narrative of the war.He says: "When you have problems with the economy and Russia...