Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is turning up the heat on Russia, expanding his wildly successful campaign of “long-range sanctions” and promising a brutal 40 days ahead. Yes, the Ukraine war has entered a new, deadlier phase.
Zelenskyy Orders Preemptive Strikes
Russia Tu-160 Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
On June 24, the Ukrainian president announced his plans to carry out preemptive strikes on facilities Russia is using to expand the war in Ukraine, and once again described recent Ukrainian strikes in mainland Russia as part of a “sanctions” campaign to cripple the Russian war economy.
Zelenskyy also described recent Ukrainian attacks as retaliation for Russian strikes in Ukrainian cities and the continued occupation of Ukrainian territory.
In his evening address, Zelenskyy said that he had instructed the Ukrainian intelligence services and military to “act preemptively against facilities Russia uses to expand its war effort.”
Zelenskyy’s comments come after weeks of hugely successful Ukrainian strikes using a combination of drones and domestically made missiles, including the new FP-5 Flamingo, that have inflicted significant damage on the engine powering Russia’s war.
Last week, strikes at the Moscow Oil Refinery hit the headlines after online footage showed the lid of a fuel tank flying hundreds of feet into the air.
The strike caused explosions and fires that could be seen for miles around – including from the Kremlin.
In a statement issued alongside the address on X, Zelenskyy also described how Russian leadership was pulling more air defense assets to Moscow, Valdai, and the bridge across the Kerch Strait – an admission that Ukrainian strikes are causing precisely the kind of damage Kyiv had hoped for.
“In the Moscow region alone, they have amassed hundreds of launchers for S-400, S-500, and Pantsir systems. Nearly 90 launchers have been redeployed to Valdai from other regions of Russia, and a special air defense division is also being formed there to safeguard the peace and quiet of the Russian chief,” Zelenskyy said.
Tu-160 bomber Creative Commons Image
The Ukrainian president also said that “only a couple” of launchers per direction were located elsewhere around other major Russian cities.
Zelenskyy also said the decision was the “right signal” to Russia that the Ukrainian side will not relent or concede.
By June 25, Zelenskyy went further, describing an upcoming 40-day campaign against the Russians.
The Next 40 Days
Following a briefing with the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), which has played a central role in planning and executing many of the most devastating strikes inside Russian territory, Zelenskyy announced that he had personally approved a 40-day campaign designed to increase pressure on Russia and force Moscow to end the war.
In a statement published on Telegram, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s long-range campaign would continue to target the systems and infrastructure that support the war in Russia.
“I approved a 40-day influence operation for the Service against the aggressor state aimed at compelling it to end the war,” the statement reads.
Zelenskyy also praised the SBU for having demonstrated the “highest performance in defending Ukraine’s positions on the front lines through the use of various types of drones.”
“The Center of Special Operations ‘Alpha’ leads in terms of the occupier’s personnel and equipment neutralized,” Zelenskyy also said.
Ukraine Begins Sustained Campaign
The announcement represents another major shift in how the war in Ukraine is being fought – and it’s not the first time this has happened.
What began as a conventional ground war has, over time, turned into a drone war. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) changed how tank formations were used and deployed, and even helped slow Russian advances on the ground.
And now, drones are doing far more than simply dropping grenades and munitions into open hatches of Russian tanks – they’re striking inside Russian territory. Over recent weeks, Ukrainian drones and missiles have successfully knocked out Russian oil refineries and fuel depots, taken out gas processing facilities, shut down military communications sites, and brought Crimea to its knees.
What was once a critical military logistics hub for the Russians is now mostly without electricity and running out of fuel.
Ukraine is moving toward a sustained campaign aimed at degrading Russia’s ability to wage war, and after proving it is possible, Kyiv is about to ramp up its strikes as Moscow scrambles to defend its most valuable assets. The problem for Russia is that, throughout the conflict, it has been possible to dedicate air defense systems to targets more easily within Ukraine’s reach.
Russia is the largest country on the planet, with fuel infrastructure – and other high-value targets – scattered sparsely across its vast territory.
Ukrainian missiles can now reach thousands of kilometers into the Russian mainland, and without sufficient air defense systems, Russia cannot prevent every strike.
It’s Working
Moscow and Kyiv both know the long-range strikes are working. In his evening address, the Ukrainian president also revealed that the security services had obtained internal Russian documents that describe how Moscow is “feeling the heat.”
“We’re reaching their arsenals. Near St. Petersburg, a considerable amount of the Baltic Fleet’s ammunition was destroyed. There were similar strikes in other areas, too. We’re hitting military production sites, like those in Voronezh that make crucial parts for their missiles— the same missiles the Russians use against our cities, villages, energy infrastructure, and our lives,” Zelenskyy said.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, producing and editing analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
