Ukraine launches 'logistics lockdown' to cut off Russian military
Photo: Ukraine intensifies strikes on Russian rear areas (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, together with Ukraine's General Staff, is launching a separate program called logistics lockdown to scale up strikes against Russian rear areas at operational depth, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The logistics lockdown program involves the systematic destruction of Russian capabilities at operational depth and the scaling up of middle-strike operations. Its objective is to increase pressure on Russia in the rear and deprive it of the ability to conduct active assault operations.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the cost of advancing for the Russian army is rising.
While in October Russia lost 67 soldiers per 1 km² of advance, in April that number had risen to 179. Every month, Russia loses over 35,000 soldiers killed or severely wounded.
In recent months, Ukraine has quadrupled the destruction of enemy logistics, warehouses, equipment, command posts, and supply routes in the operational depth.
"A clear pattern is already visible in the dashboards: the more Russian logistics are destroyed, the fewer assault operations take place on the front line," Fedorov says.
The Ministry of Defense cites the scaling up of middle strike capabilities as one of the key factors behind this change. According to the Ministry’s assessment, after Starlink was shut down for the Russians, this became yet another element of Ukraine’s technological advantage on the battlefield.
We are launching a "logistics lockdown" for the Russian army. We are scaling middle-strike operations to systematically destroy enemy logistics and supply lines, stripping them of their capacity to mount offensive actions. We’ve allocated an additional 5 billion UAH for direct… pic.twitter.com/g8h45T5woh
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) May 27, 2026
Two funding phases
As part of the first phase, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, allocated an additional UAH5 billion directly to the military for the procurement of modern middle strike capabilities.
The funds will go to the most effective brigades and units under the eBaly system, units specializing in destroying Russian troops at operational depth.
The first units have already received funding, and direct procurement has begun.
As part of the second phase, centralized tenders are being launched for the procurement of a large batch of middle-range strike weapons.
According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, open tenders ensure speed and scalability of production, competition among manufacturers, minimization of corruption risks, and transparency in the use of public funds.
According to the Ministry’s forecast, the results of centralized procurement will be felt on the front lines as early as this summer.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces’ strikes against Russian logistics in the operational depth are becoming systematic.
In early May, the Institute for the Study of War reported that Ukrainian drones were striking Russian trucks and fuel tankers on the Mariupol-Donetsk highway at a distance of approximately 95–105 kilometers from the front line, while the 1st Azov Corps reported strikes reaching depths of up to 160 kilometers.
According to the ISW’s assessment, the systematic destruction of Russian logistics could become a factor in future Ukrainian counteroffensives.
Subsequently, the 1st Azov Corps expanded its operations to the Mariupol–Taganrog and Mariupol–Volnovakha routes, stating its intention to create a sanitary zone for Russian logistics closer to Russia itself and occupied Crimea.
Finally, the 412th Nemesis Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces reported blocking the R-280 highway: according to its data, due to dozens of destroyed Russian trucks and fuel tankers, the Russian command restricted the movement of heavy equipment.
