Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Wednesday that he has ordered Kyiv’s intelligence services and military forces to execute preemptive actions against Russian infrastructure used to scale up its war efforts.
Citing newly intercepted intelligence, Zelensky stated that the Kremlin is responding to Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign by pulling air defense units away from remote regions to secure a heavily guarded inner perimeter.
“Fortress Moscow” Leaves the Rest of Russia Exposed
According to briefings provided to Zelensky by Oleh Ivashchenko, the head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Moscow is effectively gutting air defenses across the country to reinforce three highly specific strategic locations: the capital, Valdai, and the Kerch Strait.
- Concentrated Firepower: Zelensky claimed that hundreds of S-400, S-500, and Pantsir air defense launchers have been concentrated solely around the Moscow region to fend off Ukrainian long-range strikes.
- The Leadership Shield: Roughly 90 launchers have been relocated specifically to the Valdai region—where Vladimir Putin maintains a sprawling, highly secure private residence. Kyiv intelligence notes that a specialized military division is being formed specifically to shield the state leadership.
- The Kerch Perimeter: A massive concentration remains tethered to the Crimean Bridge to secure Russia’s vital military supply lines.
Volodymyr Zelensky: ““These are their priorities. They are protecting their power and the very source of this war, at the expense of thinning out protections for the rest of their own territory.””
Internal Chaos: Fuel Shortages and Election Fears
Beyond the military shuffle, the Ukrainian President revealed that Kyiv has intercepted internal Russian state documents detailing severe administrative and economic anxiety.
Internal Crises Grip Russian Federation (June 2026)
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Logistical Distress --> Over 60 Russian regions face severe fuel shortages.
Economic Impact --> Sharp spikes in domestic diesel and gasoline prices.
Political Unrest --> United Russia party primaries face delays or cancellations.
Duma Vulnerability --> Kremlin lacks confidence in security stability ahead of Sept.
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The reported fuel crisis follows successful Ukrainian deep strikes, including a major drone attack that disabled the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya on June 20, severely disrupting regional fuel supplies.
Politically, Zelensky claimed that Russian security apparatuses are highly unstable ahead of the upcoming State Duma parliamentary procedures scheduled for September. Security fears have grown so severe that the ruling United Russia party is actively debating whether to postpone or entirely cancel its internal candidate selection processes due to an unpredictable domestic atmosphere.
With Ukraine methodically expanding its striking range deeper into Russian territory, Kyiv officials maintain that the Kremlin’s current strategy of hoarding anti-aircraft systems around the political elite will continue to open new tactical windows for Ukrainian forces elsewhere.
