Ukraine’s drones are punishing Russian oil industry

Ukraine has been striking Russia’s oil industry daily in August. Ukrainian long-range drones are hitting refineries and hydrocarbon distribution centers hundreds of miles from the border.

This is not the first time Kyiv has carried out a campaign against the invader’s oil industry — its main source of revenue — it’s been a recurrent tactic since 2024. However, this offensive comes after an undeclared ceasefire on attacks on energy infrastructure. It also precedes the summit on Friday in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

With few exceptions, Russia has avoided attacking Ukraine’s power grid since last March. Since the fall of 2022, Russian missiles and drones had left millions of Ukrainians in cities without basic utilities such as electricity, hot water, or heating, depending on the intensity of the strikes on power plants and substations. The United Nations estimated in 2024 that 80% of Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity had been damaged. Kyiv, for its part, managed that year to damage 10% of Russia’s crude production capacity.

In March, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a temporary ceasefire against attacks on civilian energy targets. Since then, both sides limited mutual attacks: Ukrainians against the oil industry, Russians against the power grid. Kyiv appears to have changed the rules this summer.

Following precedents in the previous two months, August has seen regular Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy companies. The month began with a coordinated attack by the intelligence services from Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (GUR) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU). Both agencies are responsible for long-range drone strikes on Russian territory.

Unlike Moscow, which possesses ballistic and cruise missiles, Kyiv relies solely on drones to hit targets deep in enemy territory. On the night of August 1–2, GUR and SSU drones struck targets in three Russian provinces: Ryazan, south of Moscow (a refinery); Samara, around 600 miles from Ukraine (another refinery); and Voronezh (fuel depots).

Two days later, on August 4, a strike targeted the largest refinery in Sochi, on the Black Sea coast 400 miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory.

On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, Lukoil’s refinery in Volgograd was attacked again, sustaining significant damage. GUR drones hit an oil pumping station in the Bryansk province on Wednesday. On August 13, Ukrainian drones targeted another refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region. On Tuesday, GUR drones damaged Russia’s largest helium refining plant, which is key to producing missile fuel.

Record strike at 1,242 miles

On August 10, a record was set: for the first time, GUR drones hit a target more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) from Ukraine’s borders — a Lukoil refinery in the Komi Republic. That night, Liutyi drones, the most used in these operations, struck one of the largest Rosneft refineries in Saratov, halting activity for at least two days, according to anonymous Russian sources cited by Bloomberg.

The strategy behind Ukraine’s offensive is to show the Kremlin that it is vulnerable on its own territory, especially ahead of possible peace negotiations, and to limit Russia’s main source of economic resources for its war economy: hydrocarbons.

Kyiv has repeatedly sought, so far without success, to convince the U.S. to coordinate with Europe on a $30-per-barrel cap on Russian crude. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy insists that Washington must impose sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors. Trump has delayed these punitive measures for months and is now awaiting the outcome of his Friday meeting with Putin in Alaska.

“It is necessary to limit the export of Russian energy, particularly oil, to reduce its potential and ability to finance the continuation of this war,” Zelenskiy said on August 11 during a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump did approve an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports to the U.S. this August as retaliation for India’s purchase of Russian oil; India is the second-largest importer of Russian crude after China.

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