The Defense Forces of Ukraine, the Security Service and intelligence have launched massive strikes on the Moscow region from a distance of over 500 kilometers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation – and, more broadly, the world’s perception of Russia’s war. 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… pic.twitter.com/z3t7JKigHD— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 17, 2026
Photo credit: president.gov.ua/
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"Today, the Defense Forces of Ukraine, our Security Service of Ukraine, and our intelligence have conducted a very large-scale exercise in the Moscow region. The distance to the targets this time is more than 500 kilometers," the president said in an evening video address.
According to him, the Moscow region is the most densely covered by russian air defense assets, but Ukrainian long-range strikes are overcoming this defense. In addition, over the past day, Ukrainian forces have worked on facilities in the temporarily occupied territory, in particular in Crimea.
Zelenskyy noted that the long-range nature of Ukrainian strikes is significantly changing the situation and the perception of the war among international partners.
Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukrainian long-range sanctions reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war. Ukrainian drone and… pic.twitter.com/BVFJ1BJQ1i— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 17, 2026
"Our long-range capabilities are significantly changing the situation – and, more broadly, the world’s perception of Russia’s war. 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,” and this is a clear signal that one should not pick a fight with Ukraine or wage an unjust war of conquest against another people," President of Ukraine underlined.
As Defense Express reported, Ukraine carried out largest strike on Moscow since russia’s full-scale invasion began, targeting several russian facilities.
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