Zelensky endorses long-range strike plan for October

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has endorsed a plan for long-range military operations to be carried out in October, following a meeting with Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara and senior military officials responsible for planning the production of Ukrainian weapons.

The meeting focused on coordinating Ukraine's approach to long-range strikes and the domestic production capacity needed to support them, according to details of the discussion. Long-range strike capability has been a central element of Ukraine's military strategy as the war with Russia continues, with Kyiv seeking to expand its ability to hit targets deep inside Russian-controlled or Russian territory using domestically produced weapons.

Ukraine has increasingly emphasized building its own long-range weapons production capacity, in part to reduce reliance on Western-supplied systems that have sometimes come with restrictions on how and where they can be used. The involvement of officials responsible for weapons production in the meeting points to continued efforts to scale up that domestic manufacturing base.

No further details of the specific operations planned for October have been disclosed publicly. Ukrainian officials have generally been cautious about revealing operational specifics in advance, citing security concerns.

The meeting comes as both sides in the conflict continue to exchange long-range strikes, with the coming months seen as likely to bring further military activity as weather conditions and strategic considerations evolve.