Ukraine strikes hit Russian oil and shadow fleet as Europe eyes sanctions
Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Russian refineries and shipping are disrupting regional energy logistics, prompting Kyiv to urge European allies to pass a new sanctions package this week.
Ukraine has escalated its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and maritime logistics, damaging two oil refineries and hitting more than a hundred vessels in the Sea of Azov over the past nine days. The operation is designed to cripple Russia’s “shadow fleet” and sever petrol supplies to Moscow-controlled Crimea. Russia’s transport ministry has admitted it may need to divert cargo away from the area.
The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces said 116 vessels, including tankers and cargo ships, were struck in the Azov sea. On land, Ukrainian forces targeted the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex in the Urals and the Afipsky refinery in the southern Krasnodar region. Russian authorities confirmed fires at both facilities.
The logistical fallout is already straining local infrastructure. In Sevastopol, Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev announced electricity would be supplied for just two hours followed by six-hour outages. The broader Crimea region has also introduced gasoline restrictions due to the strikes on refineries and transport networks.
The disruption to Russian fuel supplies has triggered a wider economic response in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan, which sources the vast majority of its fuel from Russia, on Tuesday indefinitely banned exports of gasoline, diesel and oil. The government is now appealing to Belarus and China to make up the shortfall.
As the economic pressure mounts, European political leaders are showcasing military solidarity. Ukrainian troops marched down the Champs-Élysées in Paris for the Bastille Day parade, drawing the largest cheers of the day. Ukrainian co-pilots trained in France flew two French Mirage 2000B fighter jets overhead while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stood alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelenskyy used the platform to urge European allies to finalize their latest sanctions package this week. His call came as Russian attacks overnight damaged 16 sites in the capital, including a school and a business. The strikes injured seven people in the eastern Kharkiv region and three in the northern Chernihiv region.
