First, ‘Nazis’, now ‘terrorists’: Putin’s latest campaign stems from desperation | Simon Smith

In their vicious efforts to extinguish Ukraine, the Russians have reached an unprecedented state of weakness and cluelessness

• Simon Smith is a former British ambassador to Ukraine

The Russian missile strikes on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine over the past two days have opened a further deplorable chapter in Russia's aggression against the country. Yet we need to resist seeing it as a shocking new moment in Russia's assault.

Each additional death brings new personal tragedy and heartbreak. But, in many respects, the wrecking of civilian lives and infrastructure is not new. It's what millions of Ukrainians have been bravely living with for months. These strikes - and those that may well follow - are more of the same: entirely in line with the vindictiveness and indifference to civilian suffering with which Ukrainians have become familiar over eight years under Russian attack.

Simon Smith is chair of the steering committee of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House. He was previously the British ambassador to Ukraine, and Russia, South Caucasus and Central Asia director at the Foreign Office