The war is coming home to Russia.
In a dramatic escalation of its long-range drone campaign, Ukraine has launched waves of strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure, including a major oil refinery that feeds Vladimir Putin’s war machine. Explosions, fires, and power disruptions have rocked multiple Russian regions, with Ukraine’s growing drone capabilities proving increasingly formidable.
Fire in the Night
The attack on Lukoil’s Norsi refinery in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod, a vital component of Russia’s energy network ignited a massive blaze. Social media footage captured the night sky illuminated in orange flames, a stark reminder that Kyiv is no longer confining the conflict within its own borders. The refinery, Russia’s fourth largest, lies approximately 800km (500 miles) from Ukraine’s border, underscoring the reach of Ukrainian strikes.
Russia’s Defence Ministry scrambled to respond, claiming it had detected and intercepted over 100 drones in a single night. Meanwhile, officials in the Smolensk region reported one drone was shot down near Russia’s largest nuclear power plant in the northwest, though no major damage was reported.
Ukraine’s Growing Arsenal
Ukraine’s military intelligence sources were quick to confirm the strike’s effectiveness. According to the Kyiv Independent, four drones successfully hit their targets at the Kstovo depot, causing “significant damage.” Another strike set ablaze Russia’s Andreapol oil pumping station, a key link in an export route via the Baltic Sea. Reports suggest the attack led to an oil spill and fire, further straining Russia’s energy logistics.
Adding to Moscow’s woes, a Ukrainian drone strike reportedly hit a Russian missile storage facility in the Tver region, triggering a chain of explosions. The petrochemical giant Sibur also announced it had suspended operations in Kstovo after drone debris caused yet another fire.
Bringing the War to Russia
For nearly three years, Russia has relentlessly targeted Ukraine’s energy grid, plunging millions into darkness. Now, Ukraine is striking back, making Russia feel the same pressure. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently hailed his country’s advances in drone production, stating, “Our weapons are bringing the war back to Russia and reducing Russia’s military potential.”
The latest Ukrainian strikes follow reports that work at the Ryazan oil refinery, one of Russia’s largest, was suspended due to another drone attack. As Ukraine’s arsenal of long-range drones continues to grow, Russia’s energy sector faces mounting risks.
A Shifting Battlefield
The drone war is just one facet of the conflict’s latest phase. Ukraine’s military reported that it inflicted 1,670 casualties on Russian forces in a single day, with nearly 200 combat clashes along the front line. Meanwhile, Russia unleashed a barrage of attacks, including a ballistic missile, 57 drones, 33 airstrikes, and over 5,000 artillery shells within 24 hours.
In Mykolaiv, two Ukrainian women, aged 54 and 56, were killed when a Russian missile struck the food factory where they worked. On the Russian side of the border, officials claimed a Ukrainian drone strike killed a mother and her two-year-old child in Belgorod.
The aerial battle extended to Russian airspace as well, with flights at Kazan and Pulkovo airports temporarily halted due to security concerns.
A War of Attrition
As Ukraine sharpens its offensive tactics, political turmoil is brewing in Kyiv. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is facing a criminal probe over a power struggle within his ministry regarding arms procurement. The G7 has warned that the dispute could undermine trust in Ukraine’s leadership at a critical moment in the war.
Meanwhile, with former U.S. President Donald Trump signalling that Russia’s energy sector could face further economic pressure, the Kremlin shows no sign of slowing its grinding assault on Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
One thing is clear: the battlefield is no longer just in Ukraine. The war is reaching deep into Russia’s infrastructure, and with every drone that flies, the balance of power continues to shift.
