Zelenskyy explains crucial role of deep strikes on Moscow city and region
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Getty Images)
The strikes on the Moscow region are a clear signal to Russians that they should not pick a fight with Ukraine or wage an unjust war of conquest against the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.
"Today, the Defense Forces of Ukraine, our Security Service of Ukraine, and our intelligence carried out a large-scale operation targeting the Moscow region. A good wave of our deep strikes — we are ensuring that Ukraine has this capability," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, the distance to the targets this time exceeded 500 kilometers, which is significant because the Moscow region has the densest concentration of Russian air defense systems, yet Ukrainian long-range drones were able to penetrate them.
"Many partners are now signaling that they see what is happening and how everything has changed — both in attitudes toward this war and in the reachability of Russian targets on Russian territory. The war is quite predictably returning to its native harbor," the president added.
He stressed that these deep strikes are a clear message that no one should pick a fight with Ukraine or wage an unjust war of conquest against another nation.
"Over the past day, our Defense Forces also struck facilities in the temporarily occupied territory — including in Crimea. Our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation — and, more broadly, the world's perception of Russia's war," the Ukrainian leader concluded.
Ukraine strikes Moscow city and region
On the night of May 17, Russia faced one of the largest attacks of the entire war. Later, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed strikes on several strategic targets in Moscow and the surrounding region. For the first time, the Moscow Oil Refinery, the Solnechnogorskaya oil depot, and microelectronics production facilities were attacked.
Ukraine's Security Service later clarified that the joint operation with the Defense Forces aimed to weaken the military potential of Russia.
Reports also emerged that the Ukrainian Defense Forces used domestically designed weapons to strike targets in Russia's Moscow region, hitting a microchip plant and an oil pumping station. The successful operation led to fires at the facilities.
