Zelensky approves SBU 40-day pressure campaign aimed at forcing Russia to end the war
Ukraine's Security Service launches a classified influence and covert-action operation, running alongside military strikes, as Kyiv intensifies multi-domain pressure on Moscow
Summary
Zelensky announced on June 25 that he has approved a 40-day SBU operation designed to create maximum pressure on Russia and compel it to end the war. No operational details were disclosed. The campaign runs alongside the military track: the SBU's Liutyi drone unit struck two Bashneft refineries in Ufa the same week, and SBU-linked sabotage operations inside Russia have been ongoing since 2024. The 40-day framing is unusual and public, suggesting a deliberate signal to Moscow as much as an operational directive.
Why it matters
A named, time-bounded pressure campaign from the security services is a rare public declaration. It signals that Ukraine is pursuing a coordinated multi-domain strategy, combining deep drone strikes, covert operations, and information warfare, to force a negotiating shift at the Geneva talks. The 40-day window ends in early August, overlapping with the period when Western partners have set benchmarks for evaluating further aid.
What to watch
- Whether SBU operations inside Russia escalate visibly in the next two weeks as the campaign takes effect.
- Any Russian counter-intelligence response or retaliatory cyber or infrastructure strikes.
- Whether the Geneva talks reflect pressure from the campaign within the 40-day window.