Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ukraine's new military commander-in-chief, will ensure that medium and long-range strikes against Russia continue steadily, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday. The appointment follows a major political row over the sacking of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, which sparked street protests.
Zelenskyy confirms strategic strikes will persist
"The operations of the Ukrainian defence forces are ongoing and must continue steadily," Zelenskyy said. "Ukraine's plan for long-range sanctions and our programme of middle-range strikes will be carried out with absolute precision." Drapatyi replaces Oleksandr Syrskyi, who was dismissed after a controversial tenure.
Fedorov offered prominent role
Zelenskyy offered a "prominent position" to Fedorov, whom he sacked last week. Protesters have given a Friday deadline for Fedorov's reinstatement. Fedorov welcomed Drapatyi's appointment as a "breath of fresh air" bringing "new hope to the struggle of free people for freedom and justice."
Syrskyi's legacy and Drapatyi's background
Zelenskyy praised Syrskyi for leading the defence of Kyiv and launching a counter-invasion of Russia's Kursk province. Drapatyi, a major general, is well regarded within the army and popular with the public. He commanded Ukraine's joint forces group and has fought Russia since 2014. He famously drove an infantry fighting vehicle over a barricade set up by pro-Russian militants in Mariupol.
Kremlin laments Wildberries attacks
The Kremlin expressed concern over Ukrainian attacks on warehouses of Wildberries, an online retailer Kyiv says supplies drone parts for Russia's war effort. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "The situation is indeed difficult because of the losses suffered both by the company itself and by representatives of small and medium-sized businesses."
Fuel crisis in Russia
Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries and storage have caused fuel crises across Russia. Traders told Reuters that gasoline from the Urals and Siberia, along with imports from Belarus, has been redirected to the Moscow region. One trader said the Achinsk refinery in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region has been supplying Moscow with fuel.
Civilian casualties surge
The UN human rights office reported that civilian injuries and deaths in Ukraine increased by over a third in the first half of the year. It documented 1,396 deaths and 7,978 injuries from January to June 2026, a 37% rise from the same period in 2025 and nearly double the 2024 figures. Long-range ballistic missiles, drones, and glide bombs drove the escalation.
Deadly attack on Zaporizhzhia
A Russian guided-bomb attack on Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday killed at least three people and injured over a dozen, regional officials said. Two victims were in their 60s and one was 49. Seven floors of a nine-storey apartment block were engulfed in flames after the strike.
