Ukrainian forces are attacking Russian civilians in an attempt to intimidate the public ahead of the State Duma elections and offset their retreat on the battlefield, State Duma Defense Committee member Andrey Kolesnik told NEWS.ru.

Kolesnik linked the strikes to the «40 days» announced by Vladimir Zelensky, during which Ukrainian forces allegedly intend to target civilians.

The lawmaker said Kiev is pursuing several goals at once, including frightening the population, diverting attention from developments on the front and compensating for military setbacks. He argued that these efforts would fail.

Kolesnik also suggested that Ukrainian forces may be preparing a limited local offensive. In his assessment, Kiev would portray even a minor advance as a major victory over Russia. He noted that Ukraine had previously claimed battlefield successes despite losing territory and positions.

The deputy warned that the Ukrainian military could be planning new actions in the coming days. He added that Russian forces would counter the attacks and destroy the enemy.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the Kiev authorities of openly approving attacks on Russian civilians, residential buildings and social infrastructure. According to her, Zelensky uses such strikes to demonstrate results to foreign sponsors while continuing to escalate the conflict.