Russia has faced record-high gasoline prices amid growing reports of fuel shortages due to an escalating Ukrainian bombing campaign targeting Russia’s oil refineries. The situation is particularly challenging as the supply disruption coincides with a period of peak seasonal demand, exacerbating the crisis.
Since August 1st, Ukrainian long-range drone strikes have knocked out around 13 percent of Russia’s oil refining capacity, according to reports by the Moscow Times. This has left Russia struggling to meet its energy demands, particularly during peak travel seasons and harvest periods.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak stated that Russia’s actions had led to their own fuel shortages, saying “that’s what happens when you attack Ukrainians.” The Ukrainian attacks are designed to directly target Putin’s war economy and undermine his ability to bankroll the invasion.
The Ukrainian drones have also targeted military production sites inside Russia, fuel trains, and logistics hubs close to the front lines of the war. In August, a drone destroyed the pumping station for the Druzhba pipeline in Russia’s Tambov region, shutting down this crucial element of the Kremlin’s energy infrastructure.
Ukraine’s leaders believe that their growing long-range strike potential is crucial in forcing Russia to end its invasion and negotiate a settlement. Over the past three and a half years, Ukraine has expanded its drone capabilities dramatically, making it possible to launch increasingly ambitious air offensives.
The latest addition to Ukraine’s arsenal is a domestically produced long-range cruise missile dubbed “Flamingo.” This missile has a reported range of over 3,000 kilometers and carries a massive warhead. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed the successful testing of the missile, which should enter mass production by the end of this year.
The situation favors the defenders in the conflict, with drones making it increasingly difficult to achieve battlefield breakthroughs. Russia’s military is advancing at a glacial pace and has captured less than 1 percent of Ukrainian territory in over a thousand days while losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
Historically, Russia’s size was considered one of its main strengths. However, Ukraine now intends to exploit this vastness by launching waves of airstrikes across the country, aiming to transform it into Russia’s greatest weakness. The Kremlin lacks air defense systems to protect thousands of potential military and energy targets spread across eleven time zones.
Source: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert