Ukraine forms long-range strike, rapid-response commands

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a major restructuring of Ukraine's armed forces, establishing a new long-range strike command and a separate rapid-response branch to intensify pressure on Russia. The moves, formalized by a presidential decree on July 10, aim to degrade Russia's warfighting capacity and improve battlefield flexibility as the conflict enters its fifth year.

In an evening address, Zelenskyy said the new long-range impact command would focus exclusively on coordinating and deepening strikes against strategic targets within Russia. He stated the command must concentrate all available resources on further reducing Russia's potential to wage war, describing its mission as having a global impact on the conflict. The president indicated a strong and highly experienced commander would lead the initiative, which formalizes Ukraine's escalating campaign against Russian energy, logistics, and military infrastructure far behind the front lines.

Simultaneously, Zelenskyy announced the creation of Joint Rapid Reaction Forces, a new branch designed to merge assault troops with drone units, artillery, and other capabilities into a single, fast-acting formation. He...