Ukrainian forces launched one of their largest drone attacks on Russian territory and illegally annexed and occupied Crimea since the Russians invaded in 2022.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that they intercepted 660 unmanned aerial vehicles across the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Kaluga, Lipetsk, Rostov, Voronezh, Tula, Ryazan, and Astrakhan regions of the Russian Federation, the Moscow region, occupied Crimea, and the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Putin with a Rifle. Image Credit: Russian State Media.
The AP reported that the previous biggest Ukrainian attack over the past year involved 556 drones on May 17.
Kyiv has increasingly deployed long-range drones to strike deep inside Russia, targeting Russia’s critical oil production and refinery facilities, in an attempt to impact Moscow’s economy and force Russian President Putin to negotiate for a cessation of hostilities.
This has resulted in country-wide fuel shortages, gas rationing, and the stopping of gas and oil exports.
Zelenskyy’s Promised “40-Day Influence Operation Begins
This latest, and significant attack came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on “X” formerly Twitter, that he had ordered “a 40-day influence operation,” believed to mean an escalation of attacks, aimed at “compelling (Russia) to end the war.”
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would conduct “preemptive strikes” on Russia and its military infrastructure.
“I instructed our intelligence services and military to act preemptively against facilities Russia uses to expand its war effort,” Zelenskiy said in his evening address on Wednesday.
Putin in 2023. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Targets Included A Russian Chemical And Hydroelectric Plant
Details from last night’s attack are few, as Russia’s Defense Ministry normally won’t report what was targeted in Ukraine’s drone strikes, and downplays the amount of damage suffered.
However, the independent Russian news site Astra reported that the Azot chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk, in the Tula Oblast south of Moscow, were attacked and set on fire. The Ukrainians had already targeted the facility on June 14.
Astra reported that eyewitness videos show smoke is rising from the direction of the Azot chemical plant. The video showing smoke after the attack was filmed approximately 8 kilometers from the facility.
The Novomoskovsk Azot Joint Stock Company is Russia’s largest producer of ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers. The plant produces mineral fertilizers, ammonia, organic plastics and resins, chlorine, caustic soda, calcium chloride, concentrated and high-purity nitric acid, argon, and methanol.
The minerals produced by the plant are supplied to military factories that manufacture ammunition and explosives for the Russian military.
Dmitry Milyaev, governor of the Tula region, reported that a private home was hit, and a woman was wounded, but confirmed damage “at an industrial facility in Novomoskovsk” and to a power line.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were downed over the skies of the capital. He did not report any casualties or damage.
The 40-Day Influence Operation Is Designed To Pressure Putin to End the Ukraine War
The Ukrainian plan is aimed at “pressuring Russia to end its war,” and already has Russian authorities’ attention. Russian-installed occupation authorities in Crimea announced a regional state of emergency on Friday.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he approved a plan for Ukraine’s State Security Service (SBU) to launch a 40-day operation aimed at pressuring Russia to end the war.
Thus far, Ukraine’s attacks are mainly centered on the Moscow region and Crimea. Moscow’s targeting included hitting the Gazprom oil and gas refinery, damaging it to the extent that it should be out of operation for at least six months.
Crimea is being targeted to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula, cripple Moscow’s military logistics, and weaken Putin’s hold on the region. By destroying critical infrastructure, Kyiv aims to render the region unviable to support Moscow’s invasion operations in southern and eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s drone attacks are actively destroying oil depots, railway bridges, and ferry crossings (such as the hubs in Kerch) to cut off fuel and military reinforcements flowing to the front lines.
Due to the frequency and success of the drone attacks, the Russian military has been forced to redeploy much-needed air defense systems back to Moscow (and the Kerch bridge) to defend critical infrastructure in the capital. This removes the air defenses from its troops fighting in the Donbas.
“Hell is beginning,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said last week. “Logistics are being cut off. Crimea is being isolated.”
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
