Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries Yield Unprecedented Success, Leaving Russia Without Gasoline

In recent weeks, Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries up to 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border have achieved remarkable success, according to a report by Politico.

These attacks have not only compelled the Kremlin to defend its own territory while waging war but have also resulted in a staggering outcome – the world’s largest oil-producing nation finding itself without gasoline, accompanied by a sharp surge in local fuel prices.

Details provided by Politico indicate that diesel prices for Russian consumers have soared, rising by nearly 10 percent in just the past week, according to government data.

The cost of gasoline has also reached a six-month high, escalating by over 20 percent since the beginning of the year, as supply dwindles and more plants are forced to suspend production.

Last Wednesday, two fuel depots owned by the Russian energy giant Rosneft, located approximately 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, were severely damaged by drones, resulting in the destruction of fuel reserves.

This year alone, more than a dozen oil refineries across nine Russian regions have suffered similar strikes, with officials in Kyiv asserting that this sector constitutes a legitimate military target.

Former British military intelligence officer Philip Ingram likened these strikes to a persistent mosquito: “When you can’t find it, can’t kill it, and it keeps coming back night after night, you’ll be worn down. It’s a very good way of taking the pressure off the front line.”

Ingram further emphasised the effectiveness of such strikes, noting that they disrupt not only the oil infrastructure but also other vital components of national infrastructure.

He predicted that this strategy would be studied in officer training academies for decades to come.

As a result, Moscow has reduced fuel exports to nearly historic lows, shipping slightly over 712,000 tonnes of diesel fuel last week, compared to over 844,000 tonnes during the same period in 2023.

This situation poses both a political and military challenge for Moscow, as cheap fuel is not only essential for Russia’s military efforts but also a key component of President Vladimir Putin’s social contract with the population, serving as a buffer against wage stagnation and a weak ruble.

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