The Russian government deliberately avoids public acknowledgment and international complaints regarding Ukraine’s regular long-range strikes deep into Russian territory. Admitting the widespread success of these operations would immediately expose the Kremlin’s critical vulnerabilities and its inability to secure its own airspace. This assessment was shared by Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, during an extensive interview with Ukrinform.
According to the head of Ukrainian military intelligence, strategic operations utilizing long-range weaponry and advanced domestic drone systems against military and industrial complexes inside the aggressor state occur on a nearly daily basis. These systematic strikes inflict tangible and sometimes catastrophic damage on Russia’s economic and logistical frameworks. Despite this reality, top Russian officials and state propagandists try to suppress these incidents, routinely dismissing massive explosions as “falling debris” or minor accidents.
The primary reason behind this strict information blackout is the Kremlin’s deep-seated fear of projecting weakness to both its domestic audience and the international community. Acknowledging that Ukrainian drones can seamlessly bypass hundreds of kilometers of territory to destroy strategic enterprises would entirely shatter the carefully constructed myth of an “invincible” Russian air defense. Furthermore, as Budanov pointed out, demonstrating such vulnerability has a direct impact on any hypothetical negotiation processes, as a visibly weakened adversary loses significant diplomatic leverage.
“They will not simply make public statements about it — because doing so means a direct admission of their weakness and helplessness,” Budanov emphasized. “However, these strikes have a profound impact, and in their classified internal reports, they constantly highlight this. It is a massive problem for them. Just as their strikes are a problem for us.”
Indeed, while Russian state media downplays the explosions and attempts to hide the true scale of the destruction, the atmosphere within classified military communications is starkly different. Internal reports acknowledge substantial logistical disruptions, destroyed infrastructure, and growing resource deficits. The systematic dismantling of these targets is severely hampering the operational capabilities of the Russian armed forces on the front lines.
Finally, Budanov addressed the international dimension of this ongoing campaign. He previously confirmed that certain Western allies had expressed concerns and explicitly requested that Kyiv halt its targeted strikes on Russian oil refineries and export terminals, fearing potential spikes in global energy prices. Nevertheless, Ukraine’s leadership remains steadfast. The country is fighting an existential war for its survival, making the destruction of the aggressor’s economic potential a perfectly legitimate military objective. Kyiv will continue to act strictly in its sovereign national interests, eliminating the financial and logistical resources that fuel the Russian occupation army.