ZELENSKYY CREATES LONG-RANGE STRIKE COMMAND

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has created a new "long-range impact" command inside Ukraine's armed forces to intensify strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, according to The Guardian. The new structure is intended to coordinate and expand attacks on the fuel, refinery and logistics networks Russia uses to sustain its war effort.

The announcement follows a series of Ukrainian drone and maritime attacks on Russian energy and shipping targets. The Guardian reported that recent Ukrainian operations have hit oil refineries in Russia's Krasnodar and Leningrad regions and damaged vessels tied to fuel logistics in the Sea of Azov.

Reuters reported that Russia temporarily suspended shipping through the Don-Azov Channel after Ukrainian attacks hit Russian vessels, including tankers. The channel links the Don River to the Sea of Azov and supports grain trade, fuel movement and access toward the Kerch Strait, giving the disruption both commercial and military significance.

The Associated Press reported that Ukrainian forces said they damaged 21 oil tankers, four tugboats, two cargo ships and a dredging vessel in the Sea of Azov. Russia disputed the scale of the damage, acknowledging fewer vessels hit.

The creation of a dedicated long-range command marks a shift from isolated strike claims toward a more formal campaign structure. Ukraine has repeatedly argued that Russian energy facilities are legitimate targets because they fund and supply the war, while Moscow has condemned Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory.

The new command also comes as Russia continues large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities. The Associated Press reported that Russian attacks killed six people and wounded 29, including casualties in Sumy, Odesa and Kyiv, while Ukraine's air defences intercepted most drones but not all ballistic missiles.

The continued Russian barrage gives Kyiv a political and military incentive to expand pressure on Russia's own logistical and energy systems. Zelenskyy has urged faster delivery of weapons and air-defence munitions from Ukraine's partners.

The immediate questions are how the new command changes Ukraine's targeting tempo, whether it can sustain long-range strikes against refineries and shipping routes, and whether Russia responds by further escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. For now, the new command shows Kyiv is formalizing a campaign aimed at making Russia's fuel network a central battlefield.

Fact-check date: 11 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, Associated Press