# [WARNING] Zelensky Orders Preemptive Strikes as Russia Pulls Air Defenses to Protect Moscow, Kerch

*Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 7:21 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Detected**: 2026-06-24T19:21:14.292Z (3h ago)
**Tags**: Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, AirDefense, Missiles, Energy, Oil, EuropeSecurity
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/alerts/11777.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Summary**: Around 19:00 UTC, Zelensky said he has ordered Ukrainian intelligence and the army to hit preemptively at facilities Russia uses to expand the war, citing major Russian redeployments of air defenses toward Moscow, Valdai and the Kerch Bridge. The shift points to deeper Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory just as U.S. officials publicly claim Ukraine is now 'winning the war' and Belarus reportedly shuts relay stations supporting Russian attacks, raising both escalation risk and the odds of further disruption to Russian fuel and logistics.

## Detail

President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled a new operational phase on Wednesday evening, announcing that he has instructed Ukraine’s intelligence services and armed forces to act preemptively against facilities Russia is using to broaden the war. Speaking before 19:01 UTC, Zelensky described an ongoing, “precisely calculated” operation, including in Crimea, and linked its success to capabilities discussed with G7 partners.

He said Russian leadership is stripping air-defense coverage from other regions to mass systems around high‑value political and strategic targets. According to his remarks, Russia has concentrated “hundreds” of S‑400, S‑500 and Pantsir launchers in the Moscow region and nearly 90 launchers in the Valdai area, as well as reinforcing defenses around the Kerch Bridge. These claims match weeks of open‑source and Russian social‑media reporting of additional air-defense assets moving toward Moscow and Crimea, driven by sustained Ukrainian drone and missile strikes.

In parallel, multiple outlets at roughly the same time window (around 18:54–19:00 UTC) reported that U.S. State Department official Jeremy Levin told reporters Ukraine is “currently winning the war,” arguing Kyiv has changed the battlefield dynamic by maintaining pressure, including strikes on infrastructure inside Russia. Separate Ukrainian and international reports say Belarusian relay stations used by Russia to support attacks on western Ukraine have been switched off following an ultimatum from Kyiv to President Lukashenko.

For civilians on both sides of the border, this trajectory points toward a more intense, deeper‑reaching strike campaign. Russian rear‑area communities already facing fuel shortages and occasional drone attacks could see more frequent hits on refineries, depots, and logistics nodes that support the war effort. Ukrainian border oblasts such as Chernihiv are responding with mandatory evacuations of frontline villages starting 1 July, with roughly 1,000 civilians—including 120 children—to be moved from 12 settlements, underscoring expectations of continued or increased cross‑border fire.

Militarily, preemptive targeting of Russian “war expansion” facilities likely focuses on airbases, missile storage, command nodes, and energy infrastructure feeding the Russian military. If Russia is indeed thinning air-defense coverage outside the Moscow–Valdai–Kerch triangle, Ukrainian planners may see new vulnerabilities across western Russia and occupied territories. This could accelerate the campaign that has already knocked out multiple refineries and contributed to Russia’s spreading fuel crisis, forcing Moscow to seek emergency gasoline from Kazakhstan.

For markets, this combination of deeper Ukrainian strikes, visible Russian air-defense redeployment, and a worsening Russian fuel balance is a clear upside risk to refined product prices, particularly gasoline and diesel, and a medium‑term support for crude benchmarks. Traders will be watching for further Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, export terminals, or power infrastructure, any of which could tighten global product balances. Heightened escalation risk—especially if Russian leadership responds with new categories of strikes or attempts to deter further attacks—may also support gold and high‑grade sovereign bonds, while adding volatility to Eastern European FX and local‑currency debt. European utilities and defense manufacturers could see sentiment support if investors price in a longer, more intensive conflict.

Over the next 24–48 hours, key indicators to monitor are: evidence of new Ukrainian strikes deeper into Russia or Crimea framed as “preemptive”; Russian moves to compensate for reduced air-defense coverage in secondary regions; any retaliatory escalation against Ukrainian energy or transport hubs; and concrete follow‑through on Belarus’ reported shutdown of relay stations. Any confirmed hit on major Russian export‑relevant infrastructure or a visible shift in Russian targeting doctrine would warrant reassessment of both escalation risk and the near‑term oil and product price path.

**MARKET IMPACT ASSESSMENT:**
Likely to reinforce upward pressure on oil and refined product prices due to heightened risk of additional Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and a worsening Russian fuel crunch; may support safe-haven flows into gold and high-grade sovereigns on increased escalation risk. Eastern European FX and local bonds could see renewed volatility, while European utilities and defense names may benefit from perceptions of a longer, more intense conflict.