Amidst the intensifying combat operations and the successful actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces across the territory of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin has outlined its position regarding possible political settlement. Vladimir Putin, in an interview with Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin, categorically stated that Russia has no intention of negotiating on terms dictated by Ukraine.
Kremlin's Position: Refusal to "Save" the Armed Forces of Ukraine
During the conversation, the Russian President commented on rumors that Kyiv allegedly offered to limit the zone of active hostilities to four occupied regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Putin rejected this scenario, calling it beneficial only for the Ukrainian army.
In the opinion of the Russian leader, accepting such conditions would become a "salvation" for the Armed Forces of Ukraine under circumstances he characterized as a "shortage of personnel." Putin argued his position by stating that any ceasefire or adjustment of the front line would allow Ukrainian units to regroup and redeploy forces to other directions to strengthen their defense.
Counteractions: Strikes Deep into Russian Territory
Despite the tough rhetoric from the Kremlin, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are demonstrating the ability to strike strategic objects in the enemy's rear. Over the past week, drones of the Defense Forces have covered significant distances, hitting key infrastructure.
Particular attention is drawn to the night operation on June 28. During it, in addition to hitting a railway bridge in Crimea, two large oil refineries on Russian territory were attacked. Drones covered a distance of up to 700 km, striking enterprises in the Krasnodar Krai and Yaroslavl Oblast.
In particular, the Slaviansk Refinery in the Krasnodar Krai was attacked, which, as confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, supplied fuel to the occupying troops on the peninsula. In parallel with this, on June 25, the Defense Forces struck an oil depot in Kuban.
Record Distances and Massive Destruction
The ability of the Ukrainian army to hit targets at huge distances is confirmed by other facts as well. Long-range operations were carried out in Ufa, where two plants located at a record distance of 1500 km from the front line were subjected to attack.
It was also previously reported that the NORSI plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region — one of the largest oil refineries in the country — was completely stopped. The reason for the shutdown was a successful attack by a Ukrainian drone, which dealt a serious blow to the energy potential of the region.