Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had approved new operations involving long-range strike capabilities amid continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory. At the same time, Kyiv is expanding its own capabilities to strike Russian military, oil and logistics infrastructure.

 

On September 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had authorized new long-range operations by Ukrainian forces in response to continued Russian attacks. The statement came amid a large-scale Russian aerial campaign against Ukraine and several days before Zelenskyy was expected to meet with US President Donald Trump in New York.

In recent months, Kyiv has steadily expanded its use of its own long-range systems, seeking to strike facilities considered important to Russia’s military capabilities. Ukrainian officials have identified oil refineries, warehouses, logistics hubs and facilities linked to the supply of the Russian armed forces among the priority targets.

On the night of September 20, Ukrainian forces carried out one of the largest attacks on Russian territory since the beginning of the war. Russian authorities said they had intercepted more than 1,600 drones, including around 450 aircraft heading toward Moscow. The Russian side also reported fatalities and damage to the Moscow oil refinery.

Zelenskyy subsequently confirmed that Ukraine had carried out long-range strikes in the Moscow region. According to him, the targets included oil industry and logistics facilities linked to Russia’s military infrastructure. The Ukrainian side also said that several types of domestically developed long-range systems had been used.

Kyiv views the expansion of long-range operations as one element of its strategy to deter Russian attacks. The Ukrainian leadership is seeking to increase the cost of continuing Russia’s military campaign by targeting not only direct military facilities but also infrastructure supporting the Russian armed forces and the country’s fuel sector.

At the same time, Moscow continues to launch large-scale attacks against Ukraine. According to Zelenskyy, in the week preceding September 20, Russian forces used more than 2,000 attack drones, around 1,700 aerial bombs and 19 missiles of various types.

Russia’s missile and drone campaign is also putting pressure on Ukraine’s energy and transport infrastructure. In response, Kyiv is strengthening its air defense and developing its own interception capabilities. On September 15, Zelenskyy announced additional measures to protect critical infrastructure, including expanding electronic warfare capabilities and increasing purchases of related systems.

At the same time, Ukraine continues to develop its domestic production of long-range weapons. In August, Zelenskyy said that the intensity of long-range strikes against Russian territory needed to be significantly increased, linking the objective to the need to counter Russia’s campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Ukraine continues to declare its readiness for negotiations and supports US diplomatic initiatives, while emphasizing the need to maintain sufficient military capabilities to defend the country and exert pressure on Russia. Zelenskyy said he had agreed with Trump to meet in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly; the Ukrainian president described a diplomatic settlement as one of Kyiv’s main priorities.

 

Thus, the expansion of Ukraine’s long-range operations is taking place alongside diplomatic efforts to seek a possible end to the war. For Ukraine, the development of its own strike capabilities has become part of a broader strategy combining military deterrence, the protection of critical infrastructure and efforts to strengthen its negotiating position amid continued Russian attacks.

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20.09.2026 09:04