Putin orders continued mass missile strikes on Ukraine

• President Putin ordered Russia to continue mass missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities.
• Putin framed the strikes as targeting military-industrial complex facilities and their support infrastructure.
• The order follows a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv that killed nearly 30 people and injured over 90.
• Putin also called for expanding Russia's border security zone in response to Ukrainian attacks.
• Putin previously dismissed the impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, despite significant damage to refining capacity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Moscow to continue its campaign of large-scale missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, framing the strikes as necessary attacks on military targets. Putin's directive came on July 3, two days after Russia conducted its largest-ever assault on Kyiv, which resulted in approximately 30 deaths and over 90 injuries. During a visit to a military command post, Putin met with top military commanders and emphasized the need for continued "massive, coordinated strikes" on Ukraine's military-industrial complex and supporting infrastructure. The recent attack on July 1-2 involved a record 28 ballistic missiles aimed at the capital, alongside 74 other missiles and 496 drones, causing significant civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, including residential buildings and a historic hotel. Despite these events, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian army's General Staff, reportedly presented the attack to Putin as solely targeting military facilities. Putin also indicated a need to expand Russia's border security zone in response to Ukrainian attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of employing aerial terror tactics due to battlefield setbacks and internal issues, stating that Putin is "losing this war."