Ukraine’s Strikes Disrupt Russian Oil Supplies
KYIV, Ukraine – Attacks on Russian oil facilities using Ukraine’s newly developed long-range missiles and drones have led to significant gas shortages in Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reported that recent counterattacks by Ukrainian forces have thwarted Russia’s plans to capture more areas in the eastern Donetsk region.
Zelenskiy mentioned that Ukraine’s Palnytsia missiles have successfully targeted numerous Russian military storage sites. Additionally, a Ruta missile drone struck a Russian oil platform situated over 250 kilometers (150 miles) away, which Zelenskiy deemed a “huge success.”
Moreover, swarms of long-range Ryuty and Firepoint drones—sometimes numbering as high as 300 in a single operation—have attacked Russian energy installations. The Ukrainian military has also recently deployed Neptune and Flamingo missile systems aimed at Russia.
During a press conference, President Zelenskyy remarked that the fuel shortages in Russia, coupled with an uptick in fuel imports, indicate the effectiveness of Ukraine’s offensive. He stated, “The important thing is that (Russia) is now importing gasoline. That’s a signal.” Reports from Ukrainian intelligence revealed that Russia has dramatically increased imports from Belarus and is now also sourcing fuel from China.
Zelenskiy noted, “According to our data, just after our attack, they lost up to 20% of their gasoline supply.”
Russian officials have yet to publicly address the potential for gas shortages.
The successful deployment of these Ukrainian-made weapons is a positive development for Kyiv, which has faced Russian aggression for over three years, as Moscow continues to mobilize extensive military and economic resources to combat its neighbor.
While Ukraine is receiving military aid from Western countries, there are concerns about the escalation of the conflict, along with frustration over the limited permissions to strike deeper into Russian territory.
Ukraine has poured a lot of effort into weapon development and has quickly positioned itself as a hub for defense innovation.
President Zelensky expressed a desire for the United States to provide more long-range weapons, particularly American-made Tomahawk missiles, which the U.S. had previously withheld.
US President Donald Trump, facing obstacles in his attempts to mediate an end to the war due to Russian resistance, mentioned earlier this week that he had “kind of made a decision” regarding the potential Tomahawk transfer but offered no further details.
Regarding this request, President Zelenskiy noted, “I didn’t hear a ‘no’ in our last meeting,” emphasizing that U.S. officials agreed to discuss it at a technical level.
A delegation led by Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko is set to visit the United States early next week. Their agenda includes discussions on air defense, energy cooperation, sanctions, and utilizing frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s military efforts.
On the battlefield, Zelensky highlighted that intense combat continues around Pokrovsk and Dobropilya in the Donetsk region, noting that the Ukrainian counterattack in this area has been “very difficult but very timely and successful.”
This counteroperation has disrupted Russia’s summer offensive, with Zelenskiy asserting that Russia’s ambitions to capture significant portions of Donetsk by November have faltered. He cited intercepted communications among Russian military officials which ordered them to “occupy Pokrovsk at all costs.”
Zelensky also shared that Ukraine has prepared contingency plans to safeguard its natural gas infrastructure, which has faced heavy Russian bombardment in recent weeks as winter approaches.
“We have a plan A and a plan B,” he explained. “Plan A is to rely more on our own mining. Plan B is…to switch to imports. We understand the volume of imports, the cost of imports, and where the necessary funds will come from.”
