Putin Looks Helpless: Ukraine Struck a Refinery That Supplies 40% of the Moscow’s Fuel

Nothing Is Safe in Moscow after Ukrainian Energy Attacks: These two countries are boiling with hatred. It seems that Russia and Ukraine can’t seem to keep attacking each other in tit-for-tat strikes that are becoming more destructive each day. A favorite tactic for Ukraine has been to send one-way drones to blow up energy infrastructure, and that is what Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces did overnight on June 16.

What Is the Latest Ukrainian Target? Moscow in Trouble

Ukraine Switchblade Drone. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

This time, it was the destruction of the major Gazprom Neft-owned Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, nearly nine miles southeast of central Moscow. This sparked a major fire and sent sooty, black smoke up in the air in a sign that no target is safe from Ukrainian bombardment. This was in return for a Russian strike against religious buildings that included churches, cathedrals, and monasteries in Kyiv, according to Newsweek. This is the latest in war crime attacks that the Russians have instigated against Ukraine. Hitting religious targets is particularly heinous.

The Russian attacks covered a large amount of territory in Ukraine, and the strikes killed more than 11 people throughout the country. The Kremlin claimed that air defenses eliminated 60 enemy drones, Newsweek reported.

Hopes of Peace Have Been Dashed

The latest development in the war comes as European leaders meet for the G7 Summit in France this week, where the world’s top economies are trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Zelensky Is Happy With His Military

Meanwhile, Zelenksy has been proud of the way his drones and missiles have responded to the awful religious attacks. The Ukrainian president claimed his kamikaze unmanned craft traveled a long distance to blast the refinery in Moscow, showing Vladimir Putin that nothing is safe in the capital.

“This time, the Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities,” Zelensky said, as Newsweek noted.

President Donald J. Trump and President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. White House Photo.

“Moscow Oblast felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities. An oil refinery was hit at a distance of 500 km. I thank the warriors of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence, and the Rocket Forces for their effective work,” Zelensky said as reported by Yahoo News.

The Ukrainians Have Found a Gambit That Works

This energy infrastructure provides 40 percent of Moscow’s fuel and is particularly frustrating to Putin since it shows Ukraine can hit anywhere in the country at any time.

Advantages of Striking the Russian Oil Industry

While no one was wounded, the attack on this oil refinery will make life difficult in the capital and will likely raise fuel prices for consumers.

The Ukrainians believe it is time to fight back from incessant Russian attacks on civilians, and Zelensky also wants the Russian people to feel the pain of war.

This was one of the biggest Ukrainian strikes on Moscow this year. Expect more targets to be destroyed in the capital, and ordinary Russians may be next on the hit list.

They may have to descend into the metro subway during Ukrainian drone attacks to hide from air strikes.

Hit Them Where It Hurts

Ukrainian drones and missiles have gone after “oil refineries, pipelines, and storage sites,” in an effort to hit Russia in the pocketbook as Moscow gets much of its hard currency for the war from energy exports. Hundreds of thousands of barrels a day are processed by the Moscow Oil Refinery.

The Moscow Oil Refinery also churns out aviation fuel for Moscow’s international airport, according to the Associated Press. This is likely to affect civilian air travel prices as fuel prices rise.

Putin Back in 2023. Image Credit: Russian Federation

Russia has set up a new group of technocrats to try to alleviate its fuel supply problem from the Ukrainian attacks on refineries, pipelines, and oil tanker trucks.

Continue the Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

Energy attacks will continue to be a large target for Ukrainian drones and missiles.

This is a war strategy that Zelensky has found to be effective and an Achilles’ heel for Russia. The proximity to Moscow is especially alarming to Putin, as he realized that Ukraine is excellent at deep strikes.

Look for Ukraine to step up these attacks that will continue to hobble Russia.

Gas prices affect most Moscow residents, and they will find airline tickets more expensive as the supply shocks are felt.

It remains to be seen how much the oil export facilities can be damaged, but this attack, so close to the Kremlin, is a message to Putin that his vaunted energy infrastructure is always in the firing line.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Author of now over 3,500 articles on defense issues, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: A Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.