--- title: "40 Days of War: How the Ukrainian Strike Campaign Changed Reality in Russia" description: "40 days of the Ukrainian strike campaign: from a symbolic message to Putin to real queues at gas stations in Russia. How does the \"middle strike\" strategy affect the oil sector and change the West's attitude towards Kyiv? πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸš" date: 2026-07-16T10:11:50.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/40-days-of-war-how-the-ukrainian-strike-campaign-changed-reality-in-russia tags: [zelensky, putin, ukraine, russia, war] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # 40 Days of War: How the Ukrainian Strike Campaign Changed Reality in Russia ![Drone against sunset and smoke from fire at industrial facility in Russia](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/40-dney-ukrainskoy-kampanii-udarov-kak-izmenilas-realnost-v-rossii/40-dney-ukrainskoy-kampanii-udarov-kak-izmenilas-realnost-v-rossii-1.webp) On June 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the start of a 40-day campaign of strikes against Russian targets. Initially presented as a measure intended to force Vladimir Putin to end the war, this initiative quickly went beyond a simple military maneuver. Three weeks later, experts and analysts are assessing the scale of what is happening: the campaign is not only continuing but, according to experts, may significantly intensify. ### Psychology and Metaphor: A Message to the Kremlin The focus on the number 40 days carries deep symbolic meaning. Orya Lutsevych, head of the Ukrainian Forum at the Chatham House think tank, calls this a "masterful narrative performance." According to her, it alludes to the 40 days in purgatory β€” a period of waiting for a decision on whether to go to hell or heaven. "The message is that we already consider you dead. Now you have to decide whether to save yourselves or not," Lutsevych explains. Furthermore, the timing has a political subtext: Russian parliamentary elections are scheduled for September. The campaign aims to demonstrate to Putin that his power is weakening when the war touches Moscow and St. Petersburg. ### "Middle Strike" Strategy and the Oil Crisis Phillips O'Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, believes the campaign is psychological in nature. "It is a way for Ukraine to say: we can bring the war to you," he notes. According to the expert, the main goal is to provoke an oil crisis in Russia. Although Zelenskyy initially did not reveal details, subsequent comments by officials confirmed that the strategy includes two directions: - "Middle strikes" disrupting Russia's main supply lines. - Long-range strikes on military-industrial facilities, oil refineries, shipping, and major cities. Retired Australian General Mick Ryan describes these actions as an "influence operation" intended to push Moscow to halt the invasion. ### Reality Inside Russia: Queues and Blackouts The increase in the scale and intensity of strikes has shocked Moscow residents, who did not expect the war to affect their lives so closely. The practical consequences are already being felt: - Long queues are forming at gas stations across the country due to fuel shortages. - Strikes on key bridges and roads in Crimea have led to power outages and a sense of siege. - Ukrainian drones have reached Siberia, creating a threat to the region's refineries, military bases, and the country's largest gas storage facility. This is causing political friction within Russia. Citizens are blaming the government for its inability to create a comprehensive air defense system capable of protecting critical infrastructure and private business. ### International Resonance and the Future of the Campaign Ukraine's success in bringing the war to Russian territory could influence the position of the Donald Trump administration. These actions were one of the reasons Trump allowed Kyiv to produce "Patriot" missiles. There are discussions in society about the assumption that the campaign may include actions aimed at humiliating Putin and undermining support for his regime, including strikes on key units. An attempt to retake territory from Russia is also not ruled out. Although the campaign is positioned as lasting 40 days, analysts agree that it will likely continue and possibly intensify even further. While problems with fuel and infrastructure are creating serious difficulties for the population, experts believe these factors are unlikely to become a direct political threat to Vladimir Putin's regime.