Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has ordered Ukrainian intelligence services and armed forces to take preventive action against facilities that he says Russia is using to expand military operations.

In a public statement, he said that the Russian leadership is concentrating a large number of air defense systems in Moscow, Valdai and near the bridge over the Kerch Strait, weakening defenses in other regions of the country.


According to him, hundreds of launchers of the S-400, S-500 and Pantsir systems have been accumulated in the Moscow region alone.

The Ukrainian leader also claimed that Russia has relocated nearly 90 air defense launchers to Valdai and is creating a special division to protect the state leadership.

"These are their priorities. They are protecting their power and the source of this war," Zelensky declared.

He also said that more than 60 Russian regions are facing fuel shortages, while gasoline and diesel prices have increased significantly.

In the same statement, he claimed that Russian security services are considering the possibility of postponing or canceling the process of selecting candidates for the ruling party, United Russia, for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Zelensky added that, according to Ukrainian intelligence data, the Russian authorities are uncertain about the developments that may occur until September, when the electoral procedures for the State Duma are scheduled.

Otherwise, Ukraine is already attacking targets deep inside Russia. /Telegraph/