Ukraine's "DeepStrike" Campaign Targets Russian Energy

Ukraine is moving its "DeepStrike" strategic campaign into a new, more destructive phase, directly targeting the vital artery of Russia's economy: its energy infrastructure. As noted by the prestigious British publication The Economist, these strikes not only disrupt the supply to the Kremlin's war machine but also cause a serious fuel crisis within the country.

Over the past two months, Ukrainian forces have hit more than 85 critical targets, significantly reducing the potential of Russia's military-industrial complex. The geography of the strikes stretches from Chuvashia to Bashkortostan, effectively paralyzing Russia's fuel system. During this period, 16 of Russia's 38 major oil refineries have been targeted, with some of them being struck multiple times. The results are already evident: diesel fuel exports have decreased by 30%, and a fuel deficit is observed in a number of Russian regions, with kilometer-long queues forming at gas stations, and authorities being forced to introduce restrictions. Particularly painful is the destruction of cracking units, which process oil into gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel. Replacing them under Western sanctions is almost impossible.

At the heart of these successful operations is the development of the Ukrainian military industry. The main weapon for the strikes is the FP-1 unmanned aerial vehicle, which has a range of up to 1,500 km, precise navigation systems, and costs only $55,000. Ukraine produces more than 100 such drones per day.

In addition, more powerful "Lyutiy" type drones (with a 2,000 km range) and the latest FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missiles have been deployed. The latter have a range of over 3,000 km, carry a 1.1-ton warhead, and are almost invulnerable to Russian air defenses due to their speed.

In addition to oil refineries, oil pumping stations and storage facilities are being destroyed, such as the powerful facility in Primorsk, Russia's largest port on the Baltic Sea. This disrupts export routes and forces the Kremlin to sell crude oil instead of finished products, which brings in several times less revenue.