Ukraine has announced the creation of a new "long-range impact" command within its armed forces as it intensifies efforts to strike strategic targets deep inside Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the specialised military command will focus exclusively on expanding Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities, reflecting Kyiv's strategy of targeting Russian energy, logistics and military infrastructure more than four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion. The move comes amid a sustained campaign of drone attacks that Ukrainian officials say is aimed at weakening Russia's ability to finance and sustain its war effort.

In his evening address to the nation, Zelenskiy said he had signed a decree formally establishing the new command, describing it as a force dedicated to delivering "long-range and, in effect, global impact" against Russia in response to the ongoing conflict. He said the unit's primary objective would be to concentrate all available resources on reducing Russia's capacity to wage war. The announcement underscores Ukraine's increasing reliance on long-range drones and precision strikes as it seeks to offset Russia's military advantages on the battlefield.

For several months, Ukraine has been carrying out attacks on energy infrastructure and logistics facilities located hundreds or even thousands of kilometres inside Russian territory. Kyiv has described these operations as "long-range sanctions," arguing that they are intended to disrupt one of the Kremlin's principal sources of revenue by targeting the energy sector that contributes significantly to Russia's state budget. Ukrainian officials maintain that reducing energy production and transport capacity can weaken Moscow's ability to fund military operations while increasing the economic cost of the war.

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The strategy appears to have had tangible effects on Russia's energy and transport sectors. According to Ukrainian officials, repeated attacks have contributed to disruptions that forced Moscow to temporarily ban diesel exports and impose restrictions on shipping activities near the Sea of Azov, a strategically important body of water connected to the Black Sea. Although Russian authorities have implemented measures to strengthen air defences around key facilities, Ukrainian drones have continued to penetrate deep into Russian territory, highlighting the growing sophistication and range of Kyiv's strike capabilities.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian authorities have reported launching long-range strikes almost daily. Officials have defended the campaign by arguing that Russia has carried out relentless missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, civilian infrastructure and energy facilities since the beginning of the invasion. They say extending the battlefield into Russia is a proportionate response designed to increase pressure on Moscow and deter further attacks. The deep-strike operations have become a regular feature of the conflict, with Ukrainian military bloggers often beginning each day by publishing reports and images of attacks on Russian industrial and energy sites.

The announcement of the new command also reflects Ukraine's broader effort to institutionalise its long-range warfare capabilities as the conflict enters another year. While the fighting along the front lines remains intense, Kyiv increasingly views precision drone operations as a key component of its military strategy, allowing it to target supply chains, fuel depots and logistics hubs far from the battlefield. As both sides continue to expand the use of advanced drones and long-range weapons, the war has evolved into a conflict that extends well beyond the front lines, with strategic infrastructure on both sides becoming an increasingly frequent target.

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