Ukraine Establishes Long-Range Strike Command as Attacks Hit Russian Economy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has signed a decree creating a new "long-range impact" command within the country's armed forces, a move to formalize and intensify a campaign of deep-strike attacks that have increasingly targeted Russia's economic infrastructure. The announcement comes as Ukrainian drones continue to hit Russian energy facilities, impacting fuel production and export logistics.

A New Command for Deeper Strikes

The new military unit is tasked with coordinating and expanding Ukraine's ability to strike targets deep inside Russian territory. Kyiv has framed its ongoing drone campaign against oil refineries and logistics hubs as a form of "long-range sanctions" aimed at undermining the primary revenue source for Moscow's war effort.

"Today, I signed a decree establishing a special command within the Armed Forces – a command aimed at a long-range and, in effect, global impact on Russia in response to this war," Zelenskiy said in a national address. He added that the command must "focus 100% of available resources on further reducing Russia’s capacity to wage war."

Economic and Market Impact

The sustained attacks are having a measurable effect on Russia's economy, forcing Moscow to take defensive measures that are creating ripples in commodity markets. The direct consequences reported so far include:

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• A Russian ban on diesel exports, announced Wednesday, to secure domestic supply amid a fuel crisis in occupied Crimea and shortages in other regions.
• Domestic gasoline output has fallen to around 65% of its capacity due to damage from the strikes, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations.
• A temporary halt to shipping through a key channel linking the Don River with the Sea of Azov, a decision experts say could affect nearly one-quarter of Russian wheat exports in the area.

Strategic Campaign Intensifies

In recent weeks, Ukraine has reported almost daily strikes. On Friday, its general staff said it struck the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region and the Ust-Luga oil complex in the Leningrad region. Robert Brovdi, Ukraine’s drone forces commander, also stated that attacks in the last five days damaged 10 tankers in the Sea of Azov as part of a campaign to shrink Moscow's "shadow fleet."

While the successful strikes mark a significant evolution in Ukraine's military capabilities, experts caution that it is too early to say the tide of the conflict has turned. Ukraine remains vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks, which President Zelenskiy has called Moscow's last major advantage in the war.