President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the creation of a special long-range command and a new rapid-response branch within Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU), aimed at intensifying strikes on Russia and speeding up military reactions along the front.The special command will focus exclusively on weakening Russia’s warfighting potential, while the newly formed Joint Rapid Response Forces will merge assault troops with drones, artillery and other capabilities into a single, fast-acting formation, according to Zelensky’s statement.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“This command must concentrate 100% of the available resources on degrading Russia’s warfighting potential even more,” Zelensky said, adding that “the commander in charge of this direction will be strong and certainly highly experienced.”Overhauling assault forcesZelensky said Ukraine’s assault formations will undergo important changes, including how personnel are treated, and indicated that these changes will be introduced at the command level. Law enforcement agencies, he noted, are already taking procedural steps linked to these reforms.Joint Rapid Response ForcesZelensky said this new formation will combine the combat capability of the assault forces with the necessary unmanned component, artillery, and other assets to ensure the fastest response to Russia’s ongoing attacks.Zelensky appointed “Hero of Ukraine” Brigadier General Dmytro Voloshyn to carry out this mission, noting that as commander of the 8th Airborne Assault Corps, Voloshyn brings direct frontline experience into the new branch to shape its organization and deployment.