Ukrainian forces have carried out more than 160 precision strikes on oil refineries and energy facilities deep inside Russia in 2025, reducing the country’s oil production by up to 90% and causing a fuel shortage of over 20%, according to Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk.
The strikes represent one of Ukraine’s most extensive long-range campaigns of the war, directly targeting the backbone of Russia’s war economy. Oil and gas revenues remain Moscow’s primary source of funding for its invasion and a critical cushion against Western sanctions. By disrupting refinery operations and exports, Ukraine aims to weaken the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its military spending.
Speaking at a press briefing on 31 October, Malyuk said Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit several key refineries in September and October, severely impacting Russia’s oil sector and fuel supply.
“We are implementing what we call kinetic sanctions - deep strikes into the enemy’s rear using drones at ranges beyond 120 kilometers,” Malyuk said.
He emphasized that Ukrainian operations target only lawful military and economic objectives - specifically, oil production and refining facilities that directly support Russia’s war effort.
“These are the dirty oil rubles the enemy uses to kill us,” Malyuk said.
Ukraine's precision refinery strikes combine with sanctions to create repair crisis
Ukraine's systematic campaign targeting Russian refineries has evolved from opportunistic strikes to precision economic warfare. The SBU and other Ukrainian defense agencies have repeatedly hit critical processing units.
BBC Verify documented 21 of Russia's 38 large refineries struck since January 2025, with attacks reaching record levels in August and remaining elevated through October.
The campaign's impact extends beyond immediate damage. The International Energy Agency estimates Ukrainian strikes have cut Russia's refining output by 500,000 barrels per day and will keep processing rates low until at least mid-2026.
Combined with Western sanctions that prevent Russian refineries from obtaining specialized repair equipment, each breakdown, whether from combat damage or routine failure, becomes a prolonged crisis.
Data cited by Bloomberg shows that Russia’s fuel exports have fallen to wartime lows amid mounting refinery outages and Western sanctions. Seaborne oil product shipments dropped to 1.89 million barrels per day in October - the lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion - underscoring how Ukraine’s strikes are increasingly eroding Moscow’s energy revenues.
