Ukraine moved the war deep into Russia: how long-range strikes changed the nature of the conflict

Ukraine has significantly expanded its ability to launch long-range strikes on Russian territory, which journalists say has been one of the key factors in changing the nature of the war. At the same time, despite the successes of Ukrainian drones and missiles, the country remains vulnerable to Russian air attacks on the eve of winter.

This is reported by The New Yorker .

Journalists note that in recent weeks, Ukraine has struck a number of military and energy facilities deep inside Russian territory. The targets include an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, a satellite communications center near Moscow, a plant in Volgograd that produces components for Russian missiles, and large oil refineries in Moscow and Omsk.

According to the publication, the war has effectively acquired two fronts. The first remains in Donbas, where Russian troops continue their offensive, although the pace of advance has significantly slowed. The second front has moved into the airspace of both states, where long-range drones and missiles are playing an increasingly important role.

Journalists write that Ukraine’s Western partners are funding the development of long-range capabilities. In particular, Germany has allocated 300 million euros for the development of Ukrainian long-range attack systems, the Netherlands has allocated 500 million euros for the production of drones and other weapons, and the European Commission has provided almost 4 billion euros for the development of advanced unmanned technologies.

At the same time, the United States, as the publication notes, although it has stopped direct military assistance to Ukraine, continues to provide intelligence information necessary to strike important targets on Russian territory.

Defense analyst Mykola Beleskov noted that long-range strikes require precise flight routes and bypassing Russian air defenses.

“For long-range strikes, you need to calculate flight paths, altitude, and how to bypass air defenses. And for this, we still really need the United States,” he said.

The publication also draws attention to the significant increase in the production of Ukrainian long-range drones. Fire Point CEO Iryna Terekh reported that while the company produced just over 2,000 FP-1 drones throughout 2024, now this volume is produced in about 10 days.

According to analyst Michael Kofman, Ukraine has also developed a comprehensive approach to attacking Russian logistics, ammunition depots, transport routes and oil infrastructure. According to journalists, in 2026, Ukrainian forces attacked Russian oil refineries almost 200 times, which, according to the Financial Times, led to fuel shortages for tens of millions of Russian residents.

At the same time, journalists emphasize that Ukraine is entering a new heating season with serious challenges. The publication notes that the country still urgently needs modern Patriot air defense systems and missiles, as Russian strikes on energy infrastructure could again lead to large-scale disruptions in electricity and heating.

At the end of the article, the journalists note that, despite some signs of a change in sentiment in Russia, the final decision on whether to continue or end the war depends on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who continues to declare his intention to achieve his military goals.

It was previously reported that units of the Security Service of Ukraine struck three oil depots in the Stavropol Territory of Russia , as well as a tanker of the Russian “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea. The strikes were aimed at reducing the military-economic potential of the aggressor state.

By the way, on the morning of July 18, Russia reported a drone attack . A fire broke out at the Noginsk oil depot in the Moscow region, which supplies fuel to the capital region. The facilities of the Russian online store Wildberries also caught fire.

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