(KYIV) – Ukrainian forces have executed one of their most extensive strike campaigns of the war, targeting military and economic assets deep inside Russian territory overnight into August 2.
The coordinated attacks struck the Engels-2 strategic bomber airbase and set ablaze four oil refineries spanning from Saratov to Ufa. The operation also destroyed an eleventh Wildberries logistics warehouse in under two weeks, intensifying a campaign that has eliminated nearly half the company’s total storage capacity since July 18.
A previously unseen drone design was observed during the assault on the Saratov refinery, which accounts for 2.2 percent of Russia’s pre-war refining capacity. The facility, owned by the Russian oil major Rosneft, processes 140,000 barrels of crude daily. Simultaneously, Ukrainian drones pounded the Ufa refining cluster in Bashkortostan for a second consecutive day. The complex represents between eight and nine percent of total Russian refining capability, and Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces repeatedly struck primary processing units at three interconnected refineries.
The Engels air base in Saratov Oblast, home to Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, was also hit. Ukraine’s armed forces confirmed infrastructure and life support systems at the military airfield were damaged. Full battle damage assessment awaits satellite imagery.
Russia’s logistics sector is reeling. A Wildberries facility in Novosemeykino, Samara Oblast, became the eleventh warehouse destroyed since the campaign began on July 18. The 130,000-square-metre site held roughly 120 million items and was the sixth largest in Russia. Ukraine’s strikes have now obliterated 1.34 million of the company’s 2.88 million total square metres, representing 47 percent of its capacity. The estimated damage stands at approximately 1 billion US dollars (£790 million, €920 million). Russian state-controlled VTB Bank holds over 20 billion dollars (£15.8 billion, €18.4 billion) in debt linked to the firm.
Ukrainian authorities have also placed Wildberries owner Tatiana Kim on the national wanted list, accusing her of organising logistical support for Russian invasion forces, financing the Russian armed forces, and publicly backing aggression against Ukraine.
Russian military casualties in July reached more than 43,000 personnel, according to data compiled by the Institute for the Study of War. The losses were sustained in exchange for territorial gains smaller than the island of Manhattan. The Kremlin also launched a record 136 missiles against Ukrainian civilian areas during the month, relying increasingly on domestic production and fresh North Korean supplies. Ukrainian air defences are now severely depleted of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, leaving the majority of incoming ballistic missiles able to reach their targets.
Economic indicators point to deepening crisis in Russia. A British national in Moscow documented a box of breakfast cereal priced at 1,898 roubles (approximately 25 US dollars, £19.80, €23.30). The sum exceeds the median daily income of the Russian population, with grocery prices reported to have risen roughly 300 percent over the past year.
Russia’s budget position is also deteriorating. Analysis from the Renaissance Europe Institute shows interest payments now consume a larger share of government expenditure than in Italy, Spain, or Greece. Russian bond yields hover near 15 percent, and the government is compelling commercial banks to purchase its debt.
Russian state television has acknowledged growing public alarm. Propagandists are attempting to manage fears over Ukraine’s expected move to serial production of domestically manufactured ballistic missiles as soon as September. Presenters conceded such weapons would “fundamentally change the nature of the war,” noting that unlike drones, ballistic missiles cannot be intercepted by small-calibre anti-aircraft artillery or helicopter gunships.
In Moscow, an explosion at the upscale Balsy Rosi restaurant on August 1 targeted a closed celebration for the commander of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, Alexander Chico. The blast killed five people and injured 21 others. The senior officer, who oversees missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, reportedly escaped the attack. Moscow’s mayor described the incident as a “brutal terrorist attack.” The following morning, Russian strikes killed nine civilians in Kyiv.
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