--- title: "\"He'll Feel It on His Own Skin\": Budanov Announces Deeper Strikes on Russia if the War Continues" description: "Kyrylo Budanov stated at the Riga Conference that Ukraine will deepen and intensify strikes on Russian territory if Moscow does not cease hostilities. Some media interpret his words differently, emphasizing the limited effect of drones." date: 2026-09-11T10:04:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/budanov-announces-deeper-strikes-on-russia-2026-en tags: [ukraine-war, kyrylo-budanov, russia-ukraine, long-range-strikes, riga-conference, drone-strikes] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "He'll Feel It on His Own Skin": Budanov Announces Deeper Strikes on Russia if the War Continues ![Kyrylo Budanov in military uniform against the Ukrainian coat of arms announces deeper strikes on Russia](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/11/budanov-anonsiroval-uglublenie-udarov-po-rf-2026/budanov-anonsiroval-uglublenie-udarov-po-rf-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Budanov stated at the Riga Conference that strikes on Russia will become deeper and more powerful if Russia does not end the war - The statement was made against the backdrop of a recent long-range UAV strike on a target at ~3,000 km in the Arctic - Some media (ukraina.ru) interpret the same words as an acknowledgment of the limited effect of drones, creating a contradiction in the presentation - A Russian court again issued a decision to arrest Budanov; he called it the "third anniversary" one Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine, stated at the "Riga Conference" that Kyiv intends to consistently expand the geography and increase the combat power of strikes on Russian territory if Moscow does not cease hostilities. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by the Latvian public media outlet LSM. The interview was given to LTV journalist Gints Amoliņš, and one of the key topics of the conversation was the prospects for long-range attacks by Ukrainian forces. ### Context of the conversation: from an Arctic strike to expanding geography The LTV journalist reminded Budanov of the recent strike by a Ukrainian long-range drone on a target at a distance of about 3,000 kilometers in the Russian Arctic and asked whether further expansion of the geography of such attacks should be expected. The Head of the President's Office answered directly: the intensity of strikes will grow if Russia continues hostilities against Ukraine. In his words, the attacks will become "deeper and more powerful," and the further development of events is directly linked to Moscow's actions and its readiness to continue the war. ### Key quote: "even more and stronger" "If Russia does not cease hostilities against us, it is clear that it will feel it on its own skin even more and stronger. Our strikes will become ever deeper and possess greater combat power," Budanov stated. Thus, the Head of the President's Office effectively made it clear that Ukraine views the escalation of long-range strikes as a tool of pressure on the Kremlin and an element of strategic deterrence, rather than an end in itself. ### Contradictory data At the same time, a number of outlets, in particular the Ukrainian resource ukraina.ru, convey a different perspective on the same or related statements by Budanov: the headline of the article features the wording that the Head of the President's Office "acknowledged the uselessness of long-range drone strikes on Russia" and that "the war cannot be won this way." This creates an apparent contradiction: on the one hand, Budanov announces the deepening and strengthening of attacks; on the other — in the interpretation of some media, it is emphasized that he allegedly acknowledged the limited effect of drone strikes as a tool of victory. A possible explanation: in the full version of the interview, Budanov probably distinguished between the tactical effectiveness of individual drones and the strategic logic of escalating pressure, however, in shortened headlines these nuances are blurred, giving rise to opposite interpretations of the same statement. ### Legal backdrop: the "third anniversary" arrest The reminder of Budanov's statement in Riga coincided with another decision by a Russian court to arrest the Head of the President's Office. In Moscow, he is accused of allegedly using prohibited methods of waging war. Budanov himself had previously commented on such decisions as having no practical significance for him, calling them "an acknowledgment of the effectiveness of his work" and noting that the current arrest has already become the "third anniversary" one. This context underscores that the public statements of the Head of the President's Office are perceived in Moscow as an element of information confrontation, not merely as operational signals. ### Broader: what Budanov says about ceasing hostilities In another speech, recorded by Interfax-Ukraine, Budanov outlined the "most realistic option for ceasing hostilities" — along the actual front line. This statement, taken together with the Riga comments, paints a consistent position: Kyiv, in his own words, does not abandon the negotiation track, but at the same time signals that until a ceasefire from Russia's side, pressure will increase. Thus, the Riga interview fits into a broader rhetoric, where the threat of deepening strikes and the indication of the front line as the basis for negotiations serve as two sides of the same strategy. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - ["He'll Feel It on His Own Skin": Budanov Announces New Strikes on Russia](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vidchue-vlasniy-shkuri-budanov-anonsuvav-1789120909.html) - Основной источник цитаты и контекста Рижской конференции. Совпадает с первичным текстом. - ["The War Cannot Be Won This Way": Budanov* Acknowledges the Uselessness of Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russia](https://ukraina.ru/20260911/voynu-tak-ne-vyigrat-budanov-priznal-bespoleznost-udarov-dalnoboynymi-bespilotnikami-po-rf-1083138313.html) - Заголовок создаёт видимое противоречие с анонсом усиления ударов. Вероятно, отражает иной фрагмент или упрощённую трактовку. Включено в блок «Противоречивые данные». - [Budanov* Threatens Russia with New Strikes](https://theotherukraine.info/2026/09/11/budanov-prigrozil-rossii-novymi-udarami/) - Подтверждает факт заявления и его угрожающий характер. Дублирует линию РБК. - [Budanov: The Most Realistic Option for Ceasing Hostilities Is Along the Actual Front Line ...](https://ru.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1202668.html) - Использован для контекстного абзаца о переговорной позиции. Не противоречит основному тексту. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Where and when did Budanov make the statement about intensifying strikes? **A:** The statement was made during the "Riga Conference" in an interview with LTV journalist Gints Amoliņš. The publication is dated September 11, 2026. ### Q: What exactly did Budanov say about strikes on Russia? **A:** He stated that if Russia does not cease hostilities, Ukrainian strikes "will become ever deeper and possess greater combat power," and that Russia "will feel it on its own skin even more and stronger." ### Q: Is there a contradiction in the interpretation of his words? **A:** Yes. RBC-Ukraine and LSM emphasize the announcement of intensified strikes, whereas ukraina.ru in its headline points to an "acknowledgment of the uselessness" of drones. Probably, these are different fragments of the same interview, but in shortened presentations an apparent contradiction arises. ### Q: What context did the journalist provide before Budanov's quote? **A:** The LTV journalist reminded of a long-range drone strike on a target at a distance of about 3,000 km in the Russian Arctic and asked whether an expansion of the geography of attacks should be expected.