---
title: "Zelenskyy: Attacks on Moscow Could Force Putin to Flee Beyond the Urals and Bring the War to an End"
description: "Zelenskyy told the Financial Times: massive attacks on Moscow could force Putin to flee beyond the Urals, bringing the war to an end. Kyiv has already proven the effectiveness of strikes by disabling the key Moscow Oil Refinery for several years. 🇺🇦🚁🔥"
date: 2026-07-06T18:58:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-attacks-on-moscow-could-force-putin-to-flee-beyond-the-urals
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelenskyy: Attacks on Moscow Could Force Putin to Flee Beyond the Urals and Bring the War to an End

![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a black suit discussing potential consequences of attacks on Moscow](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/06/zelenckiy-ataki-na-moskvu-mogut-vynudit-putina-bezhat-za-ural/zelenckiy-ataki-na-moskvu-mogut-vynudit-putina-bezhat-za-ural-1.webp)

In an interview with the Financial Times, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined a scenario he believes could be the decisive factor in ending the full-scale war. The head of state expressed confidence that if large-scale attacks on the Russian capital are intensified, it will create a threat to Vladimir Putin's personal safety and force him to leave Moscow.

### Strategy of Pressure on the Kremlin

According to Zelenskyy, the current volume of strikes has not yet reached a critical level. He emphasized that the situation will change when thousands, rather than hundreds, of drones are heading towards Moscow. In such a case, the Ukrainian leader believes, the Russian president will personally realize the scale of the threat.

Zelenskyy suggested that in the event of a real risk to his life, Putin's advisors would strongly recommend that the head of state move to a safer location — "somewhere beyond the Urals." The President of Ukraine drew a direct conclusion from this hypothetical situation: the further Putin is from the decision-making center in Moscow, the sooner the end of the war will come.

### Strikes on Energy Infrastructure

Zelenskyy's words are supported by facts from recent weeks. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to reach Moscow and damage key facilities. The most striking example was the attack on the Moscow Oil Refinery (NPS) in the Kapotnya district, a strategically important object for supplying the capital with fuel.

In June, the plant became the target of two powerful strikes:

    - **June 16:** The primary oil processing unit AVT-6 was damaged and caught fire. This unit provided about 53% of the enterprise's capacity. As a result of the attack, the plant was forced to completely stop processing.

    - **Night of June 18:** The "Euro+" unit, responsible for another 47% of capacity, as well as tanks and pipelines, were damaged.

According to Reuters, the scale of destruction is such that the resumption of work at the Moscow NPS is unlikely to occur before the end of 2026.

### Goal: Complete Shutdown of the Capital

Russian media recently reported that Ukrainian forces have focused their efforts on trying to "shut down" the last two operating oil refineries supplying Moscow with fuel. These data confirm that Kyiv's strategy is aimed at systematically destroying the logistics and energy security of the Russian capital, which in the long term could realize the scenario described by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.