The situation with air defense in the Russian Federation is undergoing radical changes. According to Ukrainian intelligence data, confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Moscow and the Kerch Bridge area are becoming the top priorities for protection, which inevitably leads to the weakening of other directions.
Internal Documents and the Kremlin's Strategy
These findings are based on internal Russian documents obtained by Kyiv. They contain a detailed assessment of the consequences of long-range strikes on Russian territory, as well as the countermeasures taken by the Russian leadership.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that one of the key strategic measures was the physical relocation of air defense systems from Russian regions towards the capital and the Crimean Peninsula. According to the head of state, these two perimeters were identified in Moscow as critically important. In fact, Russian authorities have ordered the protection of these nodes at the expense of significantly weakening defense on the rest of Russian territory and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Escalation in Moscow: From Fires to "Oil Rain"
The priority of protecting Moscow is driven by a growing threat. Strikes on the Russian capital have not subsided for several weeks. A vivid example was the attack on June 18, when Ukrainian drones hit the Moscow Oil Refinery (MNPP) in Kapotnya.
A large-scale fire broke out at the facility, which experts and media called the largest attack in the last two years. Residents of neighboring areas reported an unusual phenomenon — "oil rain" caused by the ignition of storage tanks. The next day, despite Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's statements that about 35 drones were shot down, strikes on the city continued, confirming the Kremlin's need to maintain maximum concentration of defense assets in the capital.
Situation at the Kerch Bridge
The second priority direction to which resources are being transferred is the Kerch Strait. A series of powerful explosions rocked Crimea this weekend. Russian authorities were forced to temporarily close traffic on the Crimean Bridge, while local residents near the Kerch Sea Port reported fires and thick smoke.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck targets on both sides of the bridge. The objects were located approximately 300 km from the front line, demonstrating the high effectiveness of Ukraine's long-range systems and the ability to strike strategic targets deep within enemy territory.
Countermeasures and Diplomacy
In addition to information about the relocation of air defense, the President of Ukraine reported receiving a report on the state of Russian missile production and strategic aviation. Kyiv is preparing new countermeasures to the continuation of the war and regular strikes on Ukrainian territory.
At the same time, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine has already put forward its diplomatic proposals, but places the responsibility for prolonging the conflict solely on the Russian leadership, which continues to redistribute military resources in an attempt to protect key infrastructure nodes.