(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukraine has expanded its long-range strike campaign against Russian territory, launching waves of missile and drone attacks targeting defence industry facilities, oil refineries, military infrastructure and coastal oil terminals across multiple Russian regions.
The strikes hit Taganrog in Rostov Oblast, the port city of Azov, and the Ilski oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, among other locations. The Moscow oil refinery was also struck again as part of Kyiv’s sustained campaign against Russia’s energy sector. Ukrainian forces targeted the Azov optical-mechanical plant in Rostov Oblast, a sanctioned Russian defence industry facility producing electronics, optics, thermal imaging systems and seeker components used in precision weapons and military vehicles.
Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces have destroyed 48 Russian vessels over the past four days, setting another record. Russian battlefield losses over the past 24 hours reached 1,460, the fifth highest daily casualty figure of 2026, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russian offensive operations have slowed significantly, with Moscow now conducting operations on six to seven directions compared with 13 previously. The ratio of Ukrainian offensive operations to Russian actions now stands at approximately 40 to 60.
Russian military bloggers have expressed alarm over Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike capabilities. The new Flamingo cruise missile is reportedly increasing production by 50 per cent monthly, with European engineers working to extend its range from 3,000 to 4,500 kilometres. One prominent Russian military blogger, writing under the name Kalashnikov, compared Russia’s situation to the 1905 Battle of Tsushima, when Japan destroyed the Russian Baltic Fleet, warning that current setbacks could prove equally devastating.
Russia’s fuel crisis continues to deepen, with shortages now severely disrupting agriculture. Farmers in Krasnodar Krai and Rostov Oblast face a 42 per cent shortfall in diesel fuel. Residents of Saransk in Mordovia reported fuel queues lasting more than two days in 30-degree Celsius summer heat. In Crimea, petrol reached 245 roubles per litre, approximately A$4.60 or US$3.20, with one resident warning Russians that conditions in Crimea would soon spread across Russia.
Kazakhstan has tightened border controls after recording 61 attempts to move illegal fuel shipments across the border within two days. Authorities deployed 59 checkpoints and limited vehicle crossings to once daily.
Russian security forces have intensified forced recruitment campaigns, conducting raids in Rostov-on-Don where detainees were pressured into signing military contracts. One organiser of a public event complained that military personnel had seized male attendees for conscription processing.
Moscow has transferred air defence systems from across Russia to reinforce the capital, leaving other regions increasingly exposed. Air defence installations have appeared on apartment blocks, government buildings and highway overpasses throughout the city.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s maximalist demands, insisting Ukraine must withdraw from Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as a precondition for peace. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has scheduled an urgent security council meeting.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would receive a new United States military aid package expected to include PAC-3 Patriot interceptor missiles, following positive developments at the NATO meeting. Ukrainian forces reported that Russia has been disguising explosive devices as everyday objects, including wet wipes, in occupied Kherson.
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