MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. The Russian army must destroy the Ukrainian military’s long-range weapons and put a stop to the shelling of Donbass’ residential areas, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu told the commander of the Vostok battlegroup during inspection.

"Army General Sergey Shoigu <...> instructed the commander to use surgical strikes and crush the enemy's long-range missile and artillery means, utilized to shell the residential areas of Donbass and continue the intentional incineration of wheat fields and grain storage facilities," the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Monday.

According to the ministry, Shoigu also noted the strengthening of the group's strike capabilities.

The Defense Ministry also said that Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov, commander of the Vostok battlegroup, reported to the head of the Russian military department on the current situation and the implementation of assigned combat tasks to defeat enemy forces in the area of responsibility.

Earlier, Shoigu had inspected the Russian South and Center battlegroups under the command of Army General Sergey Surovikin and Colonel General Alexander Lapin and instructed to strengthen actions to eliminate the possibility of the Ukrainian military launching massive missile strikes against cities in Donbass and other regions.