From Roar to Whimper: How Ukraine Made Russia's Mighty Missiles Look Like Toys

 

Ukraine is no longer the David in this fight; it’s becoming the Goliath, and Putin's empire of deceit is starting to crumble beneath its own lies: A missile launched, a myth shattered—Russia’s so-called "ICBM" turned out to be a bluff, proving that Ukraine has already pierced through the heart of Russia's military fiction.

Looks like Vladimir Putin just can't catch a break — or land a missile where it counts. When Ukraine, once considered the underdog in this brutal conflict, shoots down Russian missiles with surgical precision, it becomes almost poetic justice. It’s a plot twist that Putin never imagined back in February 2022 when he unleashed his forces, hoping for a swift and overwhelming victory over Ukraine. Fast-forward to today, Thursday, October 21, 2024, and we see Russia launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), accompanied by six more missiles, aimed squarely at the Dnipro region of Ukraine. The target? Businesses and critical infrastructure, in a bid to cripple the resolve of the Ukrainian people. The outcome? Six missiles shot down, only the supposed ICBM struck. And, to add insult to injury, two U.S. officials later reported that this so-called ICBM was nothing more than an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). If this is the state of Russia's might, then truly, as the proverb says, "The empty vessel makes the loudest sound."

The attack itself was meant to terrorize, to send a message of invincibility. Putin, whose aggressive ambitions seem to know no bounds, clearly hoped to remind Ukraine and the world that Russia’s arsenal remains potent. But watching this massive ICBM, intended to be a game-changer, fall into the classification of an IRBM speaks volumes. The roar of a lion turned into the meow of a cornered cat, and Putin’s mystique is fading faster than the autumn leaves on a Kremlin courtyard. The audacity of launching a missile dubbed as intercontinental, only to find out it’s of intermediate capability, speaks not just to incompetence but to desperation. One wonders if the next “ICBM” they parade will turn out to be a glorified firework. The message is clear: Russia’s arsenal, just like Putin’s rhetoric, might be more bluster than bite.

The Ukrainian response, on the other hand, tells a different story — one of resilience, adaptability, and growth under fire. Ukraine shot down six out of the seven missiles targeting its infrastructure. Imagine this in the context of 2022, when the world was skeptical about Ukraine’s ability to stand up to Russian aggression. The tables have turned. Ukraine, armed with Western support and an indomitable will to survive, is proving capable of not only withstanding but actively repelling Putin’s military efforts. It’s David versus Goliath, except David just upgraded his sling to an advanced air defense system, and Goliath's armor seems rustier by the day.

What’s even more telling is the timing of these attacks. Putin’s offensive came just after yet another round of diplomatic talks failed to yield any result. Every time diplomacy flounders, Putin reaches for his missiles, as if their explosions can drown out the sound of his failing international image. Perhaps he imagines that brute force will make Ukraine cower. But instead of cowing Ukraine, it is galvanizing them. It is moments like these that reveal that Ukraine's defense isn’t merely military — it’s spiritual. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who once played a comedic president on television, has transformed into a wartime leader whose resolve mirrors that of his people.

“You can’t break our spirit with rockets,” Zelenskyy has said time and again, echoing Churchill’s wartime defiance. It seems apt that Ukraine’s battle is no longer about just defending borders; it is about standing for something far greater. Every missile that Ukraine shoots down is more than a tactical victory. It is a message to Putin, a declaration that the people he intended to crush are now the very force making him question his next move. To understand just how much the tide has shifted, it’s vital to look at the military aid that has poured into Ukraine since the invasion began — Patriot systems, HIMARS, and now even F-16 jets, which have fundamentally altered the balance on the battlefield. Each missile intercepted today is a reflection of that international support and solidarity, a collective middle finger to Putin’s aggression.

The mighty fall hardest when their perceived invincibility is challenged. And oh, how the mighty have fallen! Putin must be struggling with a concept that has left many autocrats before him bewildered: the power of a people with nothing left to lose but everything to gain. Ukraine was meant to crumble. By now, Russia should have been deciding the fates of Ukrainians from Kyiv, with puppet leaders installed. But what we have instead is a grinding stalemate in which Ukraine, the underdog, has not only endured but started turning the tide. Missile defense systems shot down six out of seven rockets — a figure that not only represents military acumen but also serves as an affront to Russia’s military prestige.

To add more salt to Putin’s wounded ego, Ukrainian forces have begun pushing the envelope, hitting targets deeper within Russia. Every explosion at a Russian ammunition depot, every drone strike on strategic facilities, erodes the narrative of Russian invulnerability. Putin is approaching the breaking point. It’s evident from his desperate actions — the hurried annexation of Ukrainian territories, the hasty conscription of unwilling Russians, and now this flailing attempt to strike at Ukraine’s core with missiles that, embarrassingly, are no longer as mighty as he proclaims them to be. A cornered animal is dangerous, but it is also vulnerable, and Putin’s erratic behavior suggests that the endgame is not too far. He’s on the ropes, and the worst mistake Ukraine could make now is to let up on the pressure.

Ukraine must seize this opportunity and push even harder. The pressure must be relentless. Target after target within Russia should be hit until Putin has no choice but to face the reality that his imperial ambitions are crumbling, not at the hands of a NATO army, but because of a nation he sought to erase. A nation that has proven resilient, resourceful, and brave in ways that have captured the world’s admiration. There is no denying that the stakes are immense. The survival of Ukraine as an independent entity, the security of Europe, and even the global standing of autocrats around the world hinge on the outcome of this conflict. The momentum is on Ukraine's side. They must hit hard, and they must hit deep.

To many onlookers, the sight of a humbled Russia evokes mixed emotions — a reminder of how power can be fleeting and how empires built on fear can crumble under the weight of determined resistance. The proverb says, "He who rides the tiger can never dismount." Putin jumped onto the back of the Ukrainian crisis believing he could steer it wherever he wished. But now, it seems more likely that he’s clinging on for dear life, hoping not to be devoured by the consequences of his own making.

If there was any lingering myth about Russia’s unassailable power, today’s missile debacle should lay it to rest. The “ICBM” that wasn’t — a fitting symbol for an empire running on fumes. One can only imagine the look on Putin’s face as reports came in that only one missile reached its mark, and that, too, was a misrepresentation. And while the Kremlin scrambles to spin today’s events as anything but a failure, it’s hard to ignore the signs. The cracks are showing, the foundation is wobbling, and as the old Russian saying goes, "The fish rots from the head." Maybe it’s about time someone nailed that head down for good.