Ukraine strikes Russian oil refinery in Ufa and missile components factory in Penza

Ukraine struck a major oil refinery in Ufa for the second time and hit a strategic defence industrial facility in the Penza region that produces components for Russian missile systems. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed that Ukrainian forces have liberated more than 670 square kilometres of territory since the start of 2026. Denmark announced a new military aid package worth approximately €590 million for Ukraine.

Ukraine carried out a series of significant long-range strikes on Wednesday, July 1, targeting Russian energy infrastructure and weapons production deep inside Russian territory, while military commanders reported continued territorial gains on the ground.

Zelensky Confirms Strikes Deep in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine had struck a Russian oil refinery in Ufa, located more than 1,300 kilometres from the front line, for the second time. «Every day our plan for implementing Ukraine's long-range operations is being carried out,» Zelensky wrote on social media, referring to Ukrainian deep-strike operations. «This is a completely justified response to everything Russia is doing against us,» he added.

Zelensky also announced a separate strike on what he described as a "strategic" Russian defence industrial facility in the Penza region, situated approximately 600 kilometres from the front line. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff, the facility belongs to Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos and produces sensors for cruise and ballistic missiles, avionics components for aircraft, and equipment for reconnaissance satellites. Additional strikes were reported on two bridges in Russian-occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and a logistics hub in Donetsk Oblast.

Drones Hit Penza and Occupied Donetsk

Social media channels reported that Ukrainian drones struck a state-owned tent manufacturing plant in the Russian city of Penza overnight into Wednesday. Eyewitness accounts cited by the Exilenova Plus channel described a fire breaking out at the facility following the attack. Penza lies roughly 550 kilometres northeast of the Ukrainian border.

Explosions and subsequent fires were also reported in Russian-occupied Donetsk earlier the same night, though the specific target inside the city remained unclear. Ukraine has stepped up drone and missile strikes against military infrastructure deep inside Russia as part of a broader campaign aimed at disrupting Moscow's logistics and supply chains far behind the front line.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry stated that in June alone, Ukrainian forces struck 11 oil refineries, along with fuel logistics facilities, weapons factories, and other targets.

Booby-Trapped Bodies Returned from Front

Ukrainian police revealed a disturbing practice uncovered during the repatriation of fallen soldiers: bodies returned by Russia have repeatedly been found to contain explosive devices, including grenades. Taras Tarasenko, deputy head of the investigative department of the Kirovohrad regional police, told Ukrinform that specialists inspect every returned body before conducting identification procedures. «We have found explosives, grenades, and other items, which is why we work as carefully as possible,» Tarasenko said.

Alongside security checks, specialists search for personal items such as documents, mobile phones, dog tags, and bank cards to assist in identification. DNA testing is also employed when remains from multiple individuals are intermingled, a situation police noted occurs frequently during large-scale handover operations.

On June 18, Ukraine received 522 bodies identified by Russia as Ukrainian servicemen, while 33 sets of remains were handed over to Russia. The operation was coordinated by the prisoner-of-war coordination centre alongside the Security Service, Armed Forces, and State Emergency Service.

Ukraine Liberated 670 km² Since January

Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed in an interview with TSN that Ukrainian forces have recaptured more than 670 square kilometres of territory since the start of 2026. He described the gains as the result of systematic strategic planning, noting that the 2025 and 2026 campaigns are closely interlinked.

«The 2025 campaign was planned to gradually exhaust the enemy's main units, increase their losses, and deprive them of the ability to continue offensive operations in all operational and strategic directions, and we largely succeeded in this,» Syrskyi said. He added that Ukraine maintains an advantage in medium-range strikes and that positive results are being reflected in enemy losses and a reduction in Russian resupply capacity. Syrskyi said particular focus is being placed on disrupting Russian logistics and troop movements in Crimea.

Denmark Adds €590 Million in Military Aid

Denmark's Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday its 30th military aid package for Ukraine, totalling approximately 4.4 billion Danish kroner, or around €590 million. Danish Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus stated: «Denmark stands firmly by Ukraine's side. Ukraine's fight for freedom is also Europe's fight, and we cannot let Ukrainians down when it matters most.»

He added that Denmark is drawing on Ukraine's battlefield experience to strengthen its own defence capabilities. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen acknowledged a shifting battlefield dynamic but emphasised that support would not waver. «There is a new dynamic on the battlefield in Ukraine right now. That does not mean we can simply sit on our hands. On the contrary, we must continue to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine's negotiating position,» he said.

Denmark has provided a total of approximately 76.8 billion kroner (around €10.3 billion) in military aid to Ukraine since 2022, making it one of Kyiv's most active allies.

Russian Losses Continue to Mount

According to a Ukrainian Armed Forces assessment published on Wednesday, Russia has lost 1,210 soldiers in the past 24 hours. Cumulative losses since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022 include 1,903 multiple-launch rocket systems and more than 383,000 operational tactical drones. Russian vehicle losses, including fuel trucks, stand at over 114,499. Ukraine does not publish its own casualty figures with comparable regularity and has not publicly explained the methodology behind its Russian loss estimates.