(KYIV) – Ukrainian forces have conducted a series of devastating overnight strikes across Russia, destroying a major logistics hub and hitting the country’s fourth largest oil refinery, as the Kremlin’s domestic crises deepen on multiple fronts.
A Wildberries logistics facility in Kovrov, Tambov region, approximately 450 kilometres from Ukraine, was completely destroyed in the second attack on the site since 18th July. The facility covered 108,000 square metres and was designed to hold up to 54 million items, ranking as the tenth largest Wildberries logistics centre in Russia.
Ukraine also struck Lukoil’s Kstovo oil refinery, located 800 kilometres from Ukraine between Moscow and Kazan. Built in 1958, the facility processes approximately 17 million tonnes of crude oil annually, accounting for roughly five percent of Russia’s refining capacity and serving as the country’s second largest gasoline producer.
Wildberries, which reported annual revenue of 76 billion roubles (£720 million, $920 million, €850 million), has been largely destroyed after just 45 days of Ukrainian strikes. The company reportedly owes approximately 32 billion euros (£27.4 billion, $34.9 billion) to Russian banks, primarily VTB.
A petrochemical complex in Russia’s far east, valued at approximately $11 billion (£8.6 billion, €10 billion), was also hit by massive explosions. Located 6,000 kilometres from Ukraine, the Amur gas chemical facility was about to enter full production after six years of construction. No drones were observed in the area, raising the possibility of sabotage operations.
Russia’s seaborne oil exports are declining as Ukraine continues targeting shipping and energy infrastructure, according to Bloomberg data. Ukraine began its campaign against Russian tankers in May, and the four week average of seaborne crude has fallen notably from recent peaks.
The domestic fuel crisis is worsening. Russian social media channels now advise Moscow residents to bring pillows and blankets when queuing for petrol, with waits extending beyond eight hours. Violence has broken out at service stations as frustrated drivers confront one another.
Kazakhstan has begun supplying small quantities of 92 octane petrol to Russia, though analysts note the volume from the Condens refinery, at 850,000 tonnes annually, would replace only ten percent of capacity lost from a single destroyed Russian refinery. Turkey has also dispatched a tanker carrying approximately 200,000 barrels of fuel.
French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed sanctions against countries supplying petrol to Russia.
Russia’s agricultural sector is also collapsing. Farmers report wheat prices have fallen below production costs, with some abandoning harvests entirely due to fuel expenses. August exports fell to 1.8 million tonnes, the lowest since 2010. The Russian government has raised wheat export duties three times in a month.
In Moscow, forced mobilisation has reached the capital. Videos show police grabbing men from streets and forcing them into vans after they refuse to sign recruitment papers.
Russian military bloggers have expressed concern that severely disabled soldiers, including men missing limbs or eyesight, are being returned to front line combat units.
The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has signed a sweeping decree allowing the state to seize businesses and the personal assets of owners who fail to protect their facilities from Ukrainian attacks or restore them afterwards. The decree also permits seizure if authorities assess that a business cannot be protected in the future.
The Kremlin has also floated a new justification for the invasion, claiming Ukraine was preparing to attack Russia on 8th March 2022. Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev, a member of the Russian parliament, has stated the “special military operation” must be completed with “absolute victory” by 2030.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom, amid hopes the billionaire will permit Starlink use over Russian territory to target ballistic missile launchers.
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