Zelensky approves 40-day SBU operation to pressure Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has approved a 40-day operation by the country’s State Security Service (SBU) aimed at pressuring Russia to end the war. The announcement was made on June 25 following a briefing from the acting head of the security service, Major General Yevhenii Khmara.

President Zelensky stated the operation is intended to compel Russia to cease its military campaign against Ukraine, though he did not disclose specific details of the plan. He praised the SBU, particularly its elite Alpha special operations unit, for its recent battlefield performance, noting it has shown strong results in defending Ukrainian positions through the use of various drones and in neutralizing Russian personnel and equipment.

The announcement coincides with an intensification of Ukrainian strikes against Russian territory and occupied regions. In recent months, Ukraine has expanded its campaign targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and logistical networks. Overnight on June 25-26, the Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 660 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, describing it as one of the most intense aerial attacks since the war began. Ukrainian officials...