Ukraine is preparing what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls asymmetric countermeasures, after intelligence services brought him updated information on what Russia intends to do next. He made that known after a strategic meeting whose results were published on August 14, 2026.
He did not spell out Russia’s plans. He said the countermeasures target threats Moscow means to carry out in the near future, and that the Defense Forces must stay ready for provocations and escalation, with room to change decisions quickly.
Money and interceptors
The meeting went through the needs of the Defense and Security Forces line by line. Zelenskyy named funding for the army through the autumn and winter as the central problem. The General Staff, he said, had identified its main shortfalls. Two stand out: faster production of strike weapons, and new types of defensive systems, interceptor missiles in particular.
Sanctions, Ukrainian style
Zelenskyy also reviewed what he called “long-range sanctions” against Russia, alongside medium-range ones. A sanctions plan is being carried out, he said, and priorities are being adjusted on the fly so that Ukraine’s capabilities match what the plan requires “100%.” The phrase “long-range sanctions” has appeared in his earlier remarks about strikes on Russian targets.
Outside views on all this differ. Some sources suggest Russia may begin a new wave of mobilization in the coming months, while other experts think internal economic and social problems make that unlikely. Analysts also split on sanctions: some believe they have already done their job, others say Russia has found ways around the restrictions.
The Washington factor
On the diplomatic side, Zelenskyy argued that deeper American involvement is the surest way to pull Russia back to peace negotiations. In his account, an active stance from Washington is what could persuade the Russian leadership to engage in a full dialogue about ending the war.
