Ukraine establishes Long-Range Strike Command to degrade Russian war capacity

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on July 10 establishing a Long-Range Strike Command within Ukraine's Armed Forces, designed to coordinate and intensify strikes against Russian infrastructure. In a national address, Zelenskyy stated the command must concentrate "100% of available resources" to further reduce Russia's ability to wage war. The decree instructs Ukraine's defence minister and military commander-in-chief to nominate a senior commander for the new unit, which will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of long-range strikes and undermining Russian military potential.

The command formalizes Ukraine's sustained drone campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure across vast distances. On July 10 alone, Ukrainian forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar, the Ust-Luga oil complex in the Leningrad region, and oil facilities in Rostov. According to Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukrainian drone forces, Ukrainian attacks have damaged approximately 50 fuel vessels in the preceding five days, including 10 tankers in the Sea of Azov. These strikes have targeted Russia's "shadow fleet"—vessels used to circumvent international sanctions on Russian oil.

Russia has responded with defensive economic measures. Moscow banned diesel exports this week to preserve domestic fuel supplies and temporarily halted shipping through the Don-Azov Channel, a waterway that carries an estimated quarter of Russia's wheat exports. Russia also temporarily closed the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, following Ukrainian attacks on Russian vessels. These restrictions signal economic strain from the campaign.

Russia escalated attacks on Ukrainian territory in response. On July 11, Russian forces launched six ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles, and 121 unmanned aircraft against Ukraine, wounding six civilians in Kyiv, killing two in Odesa, and injuring seven in Kharkiv. Ukrainian air defences intercepted at least two cruise missiles and 111 drones, according to Ukrainian air force statements.

The strategic initiative reflects broader diplomatic shifts. US Senator Lindsey Graham, visiting Kyiv, stated that China could play a decisive role in pressuring Russia toward peace talks. Graham announced that four US senators had reached agreement with the Trump administration on revised Russia sanctions legislation targeting countries purchasing Russian energy, with the bill expected to become law. Graham suggested that bolstering Ukraine's military capabilities while aligning sanctions with diplomatic efforts could force Moscow to negotiate, describing a window for diplomatic resolution in the coming months.