Khmara made the remarks in an interview published on July 28.
“The cost of Ukrainian strikes should be about 2% of the damage inflicted on Russia,” he said, citing Operation Cobweb (last year’s drone attack that damaged much of Russia’s strategic aviation) as an example.
Loomer noted that the unit that carried out that operation was one Khmara previously commanded.
Khmara said that while Moscow seeks to make everyday life in Ukraine unbearable, Kyiv is deliberately aiming strikes at Russia’s military-industrial infrastructure: oil refineries, transport hubs, and other facilities that support its war effort.
“Russia is interested in terrorizing civilians. Ukraine is interested in protecting its people,” Khmara said.
Asked how Ukraine has not only held off but inflicted heavy losses on a numerically larger force, Khmara replied: “We cannot respond blow for blow. We must act asymmetrically.” He added that the side that wins will be the one that adopts innovations fastest, adapts more quickly to new conditions and preserves human life as much as possible.
Khmara said one principle he learned serving in the Alpha
unit is: “Don’t send someone where you are not willing to go yourself.” He
emphasized that troops know he will never ask them to take a risk he would not
take himself.