Ukrainian attacks on Russia's oil: Putin's economy in danger!

Ukrainian attacks on Russia's oil: Putin's economy in danger!

Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian oil refineries, leading to the dismantling of the Kuibyshev and Afipsky refineries on August 28. These attacks are part of a strategic campaign aimed at destabilizing Russia's crucial energy sector and financing the war. According to that Mercury Russia has earned over 883 billion euros from its energy exports since the war began in February 2022, underscoring the importance of these attacks.

The Kuibyshev refinery processes 7 million tons of oil annually, while the Afipsky refinery processes 6.25 million tons. These assets are central to the Russian economy, and Ukraine is specifically targeting them to increase economic pressure on Moscow. On August 24, an oil refinery in Ust-Luga, where aviation fuel for military applications is produced, was also attacked.

Economic impact

The attacks are causing noticeable economic consequences in Russia. The Institute for War reports a gasoline shortage leading to rising inflation and macroeconomic instability. In addition, wage arrears increased at the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, where workers have been waiting to be paid for over four months. Wage arrears increased by 25 percent in July 2025, largely due to the central bank's high key interest rate of 18 percent.

Additionally, Russian military bloggers criticize the ineffective air defense and rising gasoline prices amid ongoing attacks. The situation is also pessimistic, as “hidden unemployment” is increasing, according to business associations. In this area of ​​tension, the Russian government has decided to extend the ban on gasoline exports until the end of September for producers and the end of October for non-producers.

Criticism of the Russian leadership

The attacks on the oil refineries are not only militarily significant, but also psychologically significant. Therefore, the reactions within Russia to the repeated drone strikes are also of interest. There are ongoing complaints about the leadership's failure to take effective action to avert the attacks. Bloggers like “Vysokygovorit” and “Rybar” express incomprehension about the lack of personnel consequences for those responsible, while others criticize the leadership as incompetent. This internal unrest could also endanger Russian citizens' trust in the government in the long term.

Additionally, observers reported that Ukraine has seen an increase in its drone attacks on military and economic targets in the Russian hinterland in recent months. These attacks are aimed at weakening Russia's logistics and supply routes. While the effectiveness of this tactic remains unclear, the results so far show that the attacks are putting a significant strain on the Russian economy and are increasingly shifting the conflict into Russian territory.

International attention to the attacks is growing, and even US President Donald Trump has commented on the events. His angry reaction to the attacks on the Druzhba pipeline shows how important the issue is on a global level.