Russia’s fuel crisis deepens as Ukraine’s drone war strikes another blow

Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russia’s economic and military infrastructure, striking oil facilities and logistics hubs deep inside Russian territory in a fresh wave of attacks aimed at weakening the Kremlin’s war machine.

Overnight on July 23, Ukrainian drones reportedly hit multiple targets across Russia, including an oil refinery in Ulyanovsk Oblast and an oil pumping station in Bashkortostan, according to Russian local media and Telegram channels.

A large fire was reported at the NS-Oil Refinery in Novospasskoye, around 650 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. The facility, although relatively small, produces petroleum products and has a processing capacity of around 600,000 tonnes of crude oil annually.

Further east, thick black smoke was seen rising over Tuymazy in Bashkortostan after a reported strike on an oil pumping facility. The scale of the damage remains unclear.

The attacks form part of Kyiv’s strategy of targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure, which Ukraine argues directly supports Moscow’s ability to sustain its invasion. Oil revenues remain one of the Kremlin’s most important sources of funding, while refineries and fuel networks provide critical supplies for military operations.

The campaign has already placed additional strain on Russia’s domestic fuel market. Several regions have experienced petrol shortages, long queues at filling stations and restrictions on exports as Moscow attempts to stabilise supplies.

Drones attacked an oil refinery in Russia's Ulyanovsk region.

The Subchankulovo linear production and dispatch station—one of the key oil hubs in the Urals—was attacked in Bashkiria.

Additionally, drones targeted energy infrastructure in Yalta. Occupied Luhansk was also… pic.twitter.com/TdfMYQt8B0

— Jürgen Nauditt 🇩🇪🇺🇦 (@jurgen_nauditt) July 23, 2026

Ukraine’s latest strikes also targeted logistics infrastructure, with explosions reported near a Wildberries distribution facility in Voronezh. The Russian e-commerce giant has become an increasingly frequent target, with several warehouses hit in recent days.

Wildberries confirmed that facilities in Krasnodar and Stavropol Krai were attacked on July 22, forcing temporary suspensions of operations.

The expanding drone offensive highlights a shift in Ukraine’s approach: rather than focusing solely on battlefield positions, Kyiv is increasingly attempting to disrupt the economic arteries that keep Russia’s war effort moving.

For the Kremlin, the challenge is growing. Every successful strike exposes vulnerabilities inside Russia’s vast territory — and raises the cost of maintaining a war that Moscow has repeatedly claimed its economy can withstand.