Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
More than a 1000 Ukrainian drones were launched into Russian territory, and according to Ukraine, the attack caused massive damage to Putin’s war chest.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces launched a massive attack on vital Russian supply lines.
Operating in the dead of night, the Security Service of Ukraine partnered with the military to execute a series of daring strikes that saw more than 1,000 drones launched into Russian territory.
They aimed directly at the heart of Russia’s war machine. The operation targeted crucial oil and defense facilities scattered across the Moscow region.
According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the operation was successful, with several high-value Russian targets being hit.
Refinery ablaze
According to the SBU, drones slammed into the Moscow Oil Refinery.
The devastating attack also hit oil pumping stations in Solnechnogorsk and Volodarskoye. This immediately disrupted the flow of essential fuel.
The strike package included a highly strategic industrial target. Ukrainian authorities reported hitting the Angstrem microelectronics plant. That factory supplies semiconductors for Russian weapons.
In total, the targets hit in the Moscow region were:
▪️ The Angstrem plant, which supplies semiconductors for Russia’s military-industrial complex and is under U.S. sanctions
▪️ The Moscow Oil Refinery
▪️ The Solnechnogorsk oil pumping station
▪️ The Volodarskoye oil pumping station
The information has not been independently verified.
Blasting the base
Pushing further south, Ukrainian forces also targeted the Belbek military airbase in occupied Crimea.
In total, the targets hit in Crimea were:
▪️ A Pantsir-S2 air defense system
▪️ A hangar containing radar equipment for the S-400 system
▪️ An Orion UAV control system and a ground control station for Forpost UAVs
▪️ A ground-to-air data transmission point
▪️ The control tower and a hangar at Belbek airfield
The information has not been independently verified.
A clear strategy
SBU chief Yevhenii Khmara outlined the ultimate goal of these deep strikes. He sought to clearly explain the strategy.
In a post on Telegram, he stated: “These SBU special operations are critically important for weakening Russia’s military potential. Strikes against military-industrial enterprises, military infrastructure, and oil logistics reduce the enemy’s ability to continue the war against Ukraine.”
A shift in the balance
In his nightly address to the nation, Volodymyr Zelensky praised the long-range mission. He described the attacks as “a completely fair response” to the relentless daily bombardments currently tearing through major Ukrainian cities.
The capital was supposed to be safe. He pointed out that his troops successfully bypassed the heavy Kremlin defenses originally designed to protect Moscow from aerial threats.
Zelensky stated, “But Ukrainian long-range steps are already overcoming this.”
He then sent a clear warning. Zelensky added, “As I said yesterday, Russians should be thinking about their refineries, their oil facilities, and enterprises.”
Sources: Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ukrainian authorities, Russian Defense Ministry, local Telegram channels, Office of the President of Ukraine
