Zelenskyy orders 40-day influence operation by SBU to pressure Russia to end war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday evening that he has ordered the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to conduct a 40-day influence operation with the goal of pressuring the aggressor state to end the war. After a meeting with SBU head Major General Yevhenii Khmara, Zelenskyy stated on social media that he approved this operation.

Zelenskyy added that the SBU has been demonstrating "the best indicators" in defending Ukrainian positions on the front for several months, thanks to the use of various types of drones.

Furthermore, Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine's foreign intelligence obtained information about Russian infrastructure construction along the Ukraine-Belarus border, including roads, ammunition depots, and fuel storage facilities. In Russian documents, these facilities are described in the context of the "so-called special military operation." He noted that Kyiv has already sent "necessary signals" to Minsk.

Earlier, Zelenskyy demanded that Belarus disable repeaters used by Russia to launch drones at targets in Ukraine. On Wednesday, he said that these repeaters are no longer operational.

Meanwhile, on Friday night, Russia attacked Ukraine with 189 drones and seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down and neutralized 174 drones and three missiles. Four missiles and 11 strike drones hit 12 locations, and debris from downed drones fell in six places.