Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky approved a “40-day influence operation” on Russia. He announced this in his Telegram channel following a meeting with Major General Yevgeny Khmara. Zelensky said that the operation should contribute to the end of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Recently, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian territory. On the night of June 18, a large-scale attack hit, in particular, the Moscow region; the attack was the largest in two years. The capital's mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that about 200 drones were shot down on approach to Moscow. Some reached the Moscow Oil Refinery (MNPZ).
Against the backdrop of attacks on refineries in Russia, a fuel shortage is beginning to appear. Authorities in a number of regions have introduced restrictions on the sale of gasoline to individuals. The strictest limit was introduced in Crimea and Sevastopol. Against this background, Zelensky said on Thursday that the operation in Crimea was “clearly calculated.”
As RTVI.US reported, the day before, Ukrainian media reported that US President Donald Trump allegedly advised Zelensky to resort to more bold actions towards Russia in order to encourage negotiations. This has not been confirmed in the USA.
At the same time, at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told reporters that Zelensky is “doing a pretty good job” and continues to hold his position despite heavy losses on both sides.
“I must say that he is brave, he has excellent equipment, he has excellent people, he has fighters,” the US President said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that for the first time the United States has approved a text that says it is no longer a neutral intermediary but stands with Europe on military aid, energy support and anti-Russian sanctions. Washington has not commented on this statement at this time.
Against the backdrop of escalation, tension is growing in other areas of the conflict. In particular, the rhetoric between Kyiv and Minsk has escalated. On Thursday, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that he had met with representatives of Zelensky. According to him, he asked to convey to the Ukrainian leader that if aggressive rhetoric continues and attempts to drag Belarus into hostilities, “the quality of the war will instantly change.”
“By the way, we received an answer: the president and they understand this. So let's come to an agreement, guys. We need to reach an agreement in a significant way. There is no need to create dust, there is no need to shout, there is no need to try to hit him in the face in Russian, and so on. Let's be humane. Understanding what Russia is and what we are. There is also an understanding,” added Lukashenko.
The President of Belarus noted that his country takes a “peace-loving” position, but will remain close to Russia “in any situation.”
During a joint press conference with the President of Honduras, which took place on June 19, Zelensky addressed Lukashenko with an ultimatum, demanding the removal from the territory of Belarus of equipment that, according to him, is used by Russia to correct drone attacks. The President of Ukraine stated that if this demand is not fulfilled within a week, the Ukrainian side will do it on its own.
A few days earlier, Lukashenko apologized to Zelensky during an interview with Al Arabiya TV channel for saying that the Ukrainian leader’s concerns about a possible threat from Belarus could have been expressed under pressure.
“Somewhere he smoked, somewhere he injected, and so on happened, and he begins to make this statement,” the President of Belarus said on May 29 on the sidelines of the EAEU summit in Astana.
