Ukraine Establishes Long-Range Command to Intensify Strikes on Russian Targets

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has announced the creation of a new military command within the Armed Forces, dedicated to long-range strikes against Russia. The move comes as Kyiv continues its campaign targeting Russian energy and logistics infrastructure, which has led Moscow to ban diesel exports and restrict shipping near the Sea of Azov.

In a national address, Zelenskiy stated that he signed a decree establishing a 'long-range impact' command. 'This command must focus 100% of available resources on further reducing Russia's capacity to wage war,' he said. The decision marks an escalation in Ukraine's strategy to bring the conflict deeper into Russian territory, more than four years after Moscow's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

For months, Ukrainian attack drones have struck key energy facilities across Russia, including oil refineries and storage depots. On Friday, Ukraine reported hitting the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region and the Ust-Luga oil refining complex in the Leningrad region, both frequent targets. An oil terminal and depot in the Rostov region also came under attack, according to Ukraine's general staff.

The strikes have had tangible economic effects. Russia banned diesel exports on Wednesday to ensure domestic supply, following a fuel crisis in occupied Crimea and shortages in other regions. Industry sources and Reuters calculations indicate domestic gasoline output has fallen to about 65% of capacity. Additionally, Moscow temporarily halted shipping through a channel linking the Don River with the Sea of Azov, which could affect nearly a quarter of Russian wheat exports in the area, experts say.

Robert Brovdi, Ukraine's drone forces commander, said the country struck 10 tankers in the Sea of Azov, part of a broader campaign targeting Russia's 'shadow fleet.' He claimed that almost 50 fuel vessels have been damaged in the last five days, shrinking Russia's capacity to transport oil.

While Zelenskiy and military officials have urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate peace, sources indicate that Putin has rejected calls for talks and that the strikes have strengthened his resolve to continue fighting. Zelenskiy asserted that Ukraine's peace proposals have support within Putin's inner circle, though no independent verification is available.

Despite the success of the long-range strikes, experts caution against concluding that Ukraine has turned the tide of the war. Ukraine remains vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks due to a shortage of air defence systems, which Zelenskiy has described as Moscow's remaining advantage.