Ukraine struck eight infrastructure targets across Russia in sweeping attacks on Wednesday, 9th September.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drone assaults targeted locations across Russia, ranging from the Arctic to the Caspian Sea.
Neptune Missile. Image Credit: Government of Ukraine.
In the process, Ukraine set a wartime record for the deepest strike inside its neighboring aggressor.
A New Record
In a social media post Thursday morning, the Ukrainian President detailed strikes across six regions of Russia: Yamalo-Nenets, Dagestan, Moscow, Voronezh, Astrakhan, and Bryansk.
This sweeping drone attack is a shift from typical Ukrainian assaults, which have largely focused on a smaller number of key areas as well as Russia’s capital.
“Over the past 24 hours, our warriors struck eight Russian infrastructure facilities supporting the war,” said Zelensky.
Perhaps the most significant is the strike on an oil refinery in Yamalo-Nenets.
Located within the Arctic Circle more than 2,000 miles from the Ukrainian border, the attack marks the furthest from the frontline since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Ukraine’s special forces shared details of the attack on social media, claiming to have successfully struck the Novy Urengoy and Purovsky gas condensate processing plants.
“Both facilities are located in Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, one of the country’s key oil and gas-producing regions,” it said in a statement. “Until today, the area was considered a safe rear zone for the aggressor. The facilities play a critical role in Russia’s gas condensate industry, processing significant volumes of condensate extracted from the fields across the Yamal region.”
Together, the two plants produce almost 33 million tons of gas per year.
“Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces continue to deliver long-range strikes against Russia, degrading its ability to wage its war of aggression,” the statement added.
Caspian Sea Strikes
On the other side of Russia, Ukraine struck the Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port in the Republic of Dagestan.
Ukrainian drone manufacturer Fire Point said its long-range FP1 drones were used in the attack on the Caspian Sea – the body of water that separates Russia from long-term ally Iran.
Over the course of the war, Iran has provided Russia with Shahed attack drones through the Caspian Sea for use in Ukraine.
Makhachkala is Russia’s only ice-free deep-water port in the region and can operate year-round, making it critical for receiving Iranian drones.
Over the first eight months of the year, Makhachkala processed approximately 3.2 million tons of cargo, including more than 2 million tons of oil.
A fire was reported within the port shortly after the attack, and the full extent of the damage is still being determined.
“The damage to the oil component of this transport hub directly affects Russia’s ability to use the Caspian Sea for transporting and transloading energy resources,” said Ukraine’s special forces in a separate statement, noting the importance of the port for Russia’s exports.
Eight Sites Targeted
President Zelensky did not provide further details on the other six sites across Russia.
“Russia continues its daily terror in Ukraine.
And every day, it receives a just response,” he said on social media. “I thank every warrior and everyone who enables our long-range capabilities and precision.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense said it downed 448 Ukrainian drones overnight across 16 different regions, including occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian Drone Assaults Continue
Over the past few months, Ukraine has targeted critical infrastructure across Russia in a multi-fold strategy to disrupt its aggressor’s war effort.
Oil refineries – producing fuel which can be used by the Russian military as well as sold to trading partners – have frequently been targeted during Ukraine’s drone campaign.
This impact on supply lines and Russia’s economy is being felt by its citizens, with the drone assaults extending to online retailer warehouses to disrupt everyday Russian life.
Similarly, Russia has bombarded Ukraine for the past four and a half years.
Overnight, Ukrainian air defenses reportedly shot down 128 Shahed drones, with Russia striking at least 13 locations across the country.
Earlier in the day, two people were killed at the Moldovan border by a Russian drone.
Earlier this week, Zelensky warned that the war is unlikely to conclude before the freezing winter.
Every year since the full-scale invasion began, Russia has targeted Ukrainian energy facilities, prompting power cuts and heating failures across the country during the freezing winter months.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
