There is a shift in the balance on the battlefield, Zelenskyy says after biggest strike on Moscow this year

 While most of Europe was preoccupied with watching the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had a busy night.

Between Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, more than 1,000 Ukrainian drones were launched into Russian territory, with triple digits targeting the Russian capital, Moscow.

The result of the attack is still being assessed on both sides, but one thing is certain, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky:

The attack marks a shift in the balance on the battlefield.

A fair response

In his nightly address to the nation, Volodymyr Zelensky praised the long-range mission. He described the attacks as “a completely fair response” to the relentless daily bombardments currently tearing through major Ukrainian cities.

The capital was supposed to be safe. He pointed out that his troops successfully bypassed the heavy Kremlin defenses originally designed to protect Moscow from aerial threats.

Zelensky stated, “But Ukrainian long-range steps are already overcoming this.”

He then sent a clear warning. Zelensky added, “As I said yesterday, Russians should be thinking about their refineries, their oil facilities, and enterprises.”

Striking the capital

According to Ukraine’s Security Service, the coordinated assault hit the Moscow Oil Refinery.

The joint operation also destroyed vital air defense systems located at the Belbek military airfield in occupied Crimea.

Russian authorities reported a deadly outcome from the strikes. Local officials said that damage to residential buildings resulted in at least three people being killed.

Shifting the balance

The battlefield dynamic now looks remarkably different. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has praised a recent counteroffensive that put Russian forces on the back foot.

Over a single day, Ukrainian monitors recorded a major shift in momentum. They logged more active offensive operations from their own side than from the invading army.

Zelensky noted that Western allies easily recognize this new reality. He stated, “A lot has been done this year, and the shift in the balance of actions on the battlefield is visible.”

Meanwhile, diplomatic shifts are happening as well. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on May 17 that Moscow might soon reopen talks with European officials in Brussels.

Gaining ground

The recent successes extend beyond deep aerial strikes. Ukraine’s military chief claimed his troops captured more land in February than their opponents managed to take.

By March, the picture had improved further. Kyiv reported liberating more than 400 square kilometers across the eastern parts of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian forces achieved a net gain of more than 116 km² of territory retaken from Russian control in April alone.