Ukrainian Army Establishes Long-Range Strike Special Command, Russian Side Strengthens Protection of Oil Refineries and Intensifies Strikes on Ukrainian Military Facilities

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Russia, Xiao Xinxin] According to the Ukrainian News Agency, Ukrainian President Zelensky signed a decree on the 10th to establish a special command responsible for long-range strike operations against Russia within the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russian newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" reported that Ukraine is attempting to use this high-profile announcement to cover up the failures of its military on the front lines and divert attention from the dire situation there.

In a video address on the evening of the 10th, Zelensky stated that the special command must concentrate all available resources to further significantly weaken Russia's combat capabilities. The "gasoline crisis is worsening" is a "inevitable result of its unwillingness to end the war," and the Ukrainian military must possess a stronger strike capability against Russian targets.

According to the Ukrainian News Agency on the 12th, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that on the same day, Ukrainian forces attacked the Sezran oil refinery in Russia's Samara region and struck 10 oil tankers and 4 ferries in the waters of the Sea of Azov. It is reported that the Sezran oil refinery is one of the largest refineries under the Russian oil company, with an annual refining capacity of about 8.5 million tons, accounting for approximately 3% of Russia's total refining capacity, and it was previously attacked by Ukrainian forces in August last year. The Ukrainian unmanned systems forces stated that in the first 10 days of July, they had struck 60 energy facilities within Russia and in areas controlled by Russia in Ukraine.

The Russian newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" reported on the 11th that the establishment of the special command indicates that the Ukrainian military aims to create a centralized institution to manage long-range strike operations against Russia, focusing on attacking Russian rear energy and other infrastructure, attempting to provoke dissatisfaction among the Russian domestic population towards the authorities, which is "a typical logic of terrorists." In response, the Russian military will also increase targeted strikes against Ukrainian military facilities producing drones, long-range missiles, and more. Additionally, Russian presidential press secretary Peskov stated on the 10th that Ukraine is currently completely unwilling to advance the peace process. Russia has always maintained an open attitude towards resolving the Ukraine issue through political and diplomatic means, but due to Ukraine's lack of willingness, Russia will continue to advance its special military operation.

According to TASS, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Novak stated on the 10th that due to attacks on some Russian refineries, production must be halted for repairs, leading to a shortage in the Russian fuel market. The Russian government is making every effort to strengthen the protection of refineries and is taking all measures to ensure production and guarantee sufficient fuel output. The Russian newspaper "Kommersant" reported that since mid-June, the Russian government and local authorities have implemented unprecedented emergency measures in the history of Russia over the past 25 years. It is reported that several regions, including Oryol and Lipetsk, have implemented an "odd-even" refueling mechanism based on the first digit of license plates. Novosibirsk has suggested that businesses arrange for employees to work remotely to reduce fuel consumption.

The U.S. website "Foreign Policy" reported that since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine has established a relatively complete "theory of victory" for the first time. In the past, Ukraine mainly relied on a war of attrition against the Russian military on the front lines, but this method is extremely costly. Now, Ukraine is shifting to another strategy, which is to destroy the foundations supporting the Russian military's operations, including war revenues, fuel supplies, and logistics supply lines.

The Russian military has also intensified its strikes against military and other infrastructure within Ukraine and increased its offensive on the front lines. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the 12th that in the early hours of the same day, the Russian military used air-based long-range precision weapons and drones to strike port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region. Previously, on the early morning of the 11th, the Russian military struck Ukrainian military industrial enterprises involved in the production and storage of medium and long-range drones in Kyiv and targeted infrastructure at several ports in Odesa. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that this strike confirmed the Russian military's capability to "reliably strike any target" across Ukraine.

The French newspaper "Le Monde" reported on the 11th that Russia has changed its strategy for attacking targets within Ukraine, leading to a significant decline in the effectiveness of Ukraine's air defense systems. Since May 24, Kyiv has almost continuously suffered attacks from Russian ballistic missiles and new types of drones, and the "effectiveness of the attacks is improving." In the early hours of July 6, Ukraine's air defense system failed to intercept any ballistic missiles aimed at Kyiv for the first time; a similar situation occurred again in the early hours of the 11th, with none of the six ballistic missiles fired by the Russian military being shot down. Ukraine attributes this to a shortage of "Patriot" missile ammunition.

Zelensky announced on social media on the 12th that to ensure the implementation of the new political strategy, he has decided to reorganize the cabinet. He mentioned that the country is changing its political strategy, and each key area of foreign policy will be overseen by an experienced individual, such as bilateral security cooperation with the United States and the licensed production of the "Patriot" system.