Philip Giraldi, a retired Central Intelligence Agency officer, said the attacks on Russian airfields were a provocation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aimed at escalating the conflict to involve NATO and the United States. He stated this in an interview with the Judging Freedom YouTube channel.

When asked by a journalist about the attacks, Giraldi called them a "provocation" and a "political" act, the main purpose of which was to escalate "to the point that Russia will do something really stupid and provocative in response."

“And this will provoke the reaction of NATO, the United States, which Zelensky wants,” the officer explained.

He also suggested that many of the advisers to the Ukrainian president on this issue are Americans.

Former Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Europe, retired US Navy Admiral James Stavridis believes that the attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian airfields indicate that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has gained serious momentum. At the same time, he noted that the Ukrainian army has not yet claimed responsibility for the attacks on Russian airfields, but did not deny its possible involvement. The military expert believes that Kyiv will continue to strike, including new ones, on the territory of the Russian Federation.