As of June 2024, Ukraine’s deep-strike drone campaign reaching distances of over 1,500 kilometers has escalated into a systematic financial, technological, and logistical paralysis of the Russian military. This operational breakthrough was officially [reported](https://t.me/GeneralStaffZSU/40033) by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. By targeting Russia’s oil refining capacities, Ukraine is effectively bleeding the economic engine that funds and fuels the ongoing invasion.
Ukrainian forces have successfully struck 16 major Russian oil refineries and terminals, taking down over 30% of the country’s total primary refining capacity. More importantly, the operations have completely halted more than 40 key technological units. Due to strict international sanctions, Russia is incapable of restoring this equipment. High-tech refinery components are heavily reliant on Western technology, and Moscow’s much-hyped «import substitution» programs have proven utterly helpless in mitigating these technological bottlenecks.
According to OPEC data, Russian oil production has slumped to a yearly low of 9.009 million barrels per day, forced down by the domestic inability to process crude and mounting export obstacles. Gasoline production within the Russian Federation has collapsed to a 16-year low. Despite a blanket ban on exporting domestic fuel, the Kremlin has failed to prevent a severe domestic shortage. In occupied Crimea and the Luhansk region, AI-95 gasoline has vanished from open sale and is now distributed solely via special ration cards. Border regions such as Kursk, Belgorod, and Pskov have introduced a strict limit of 20 liters per car. Furthermore, major Russian airports are experiencing critical shortages of aviation fuel, forcing carriers to limit fueling operations.
The desperation of the Russian government is evident in its recent decision to officially permit refineries to manufacture low-grade, Soviet-standard fuel. Without Western chemical additives and machinery, Russia is no longer capable of producing modern high-quality fuels. The vulnerability of Russia’s critical infrastructure was starkly highlighted when Ukrainian drones struck Gazprom’s Moscow Refinery in Kapotnya, situated just 15 kilometers from the Kremlin.
Ultimately, every destroyed refinery and emptied oil depot translates directly into immediate fuel starvation for Russian armor and aviation on the frontlines. This systemic paralysis not only degrades Russia’s tactical mobility but also drains billions of dollars from the Kremlin’s war chest, severely limiting its ability to purchase missiles and ammunition.