Ukrainian Drone Strikes Shatter Illusion of Russian Invincibility as Putin Goes Missing
(KYIV) – Relentless Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russian territory are destroying the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s carefully crafted image of invincibility, forcing the Kremlin to redirect critical air defence systems away from the front lines to protect Moscow.
Anna Danylchuk, a Ukrainian commentator, detailed how attacks on critical infrastructure including major oil refineries and key military assets have triggered severe domestic fuel shortages across Russia. The Kremlin has been compelled to redeploy vital air defence systems, such as the Pantsir, away from active combat zones to shield the capital. “Whenever something big happens, for example, Ukrainian drones are able to reach deeper into the Russian rear, when we take control over the skies above Moscow because this is the reality,” Danylchuk said. She stressed that it is not just cancelled flights. “It is the reality of Moscow now.”
The psychological and economic toll on ordinary Russian citizens is mounting. Many who for decades believed they were totally safe in the capital of the Russian Federation are now confronting a different reality. “Now if Moscow is not protected, everybody in the rest of the Russian regions understand that they are under constant threat,” she added. “This is the reality of war that all of them wanted but simply could not imagine on their territory.”
Putin’s behaviour during crises has become predictable. Whenever serious problems arise, he disappears from public view and refuses to give interviews, even to Kremlin mouthpieces whose staged meetings with children are widely recognised as propaganda exercises. For a period exceeding 150 days, he did not travel Russia. When one of the largest oil refineries burned for weeks and residents reported oil rain, he failed to visit. In numerous other regions, people experienced problems caused either by the war or by his economic mismanagement. His three day operation has lasted almost five years, and the financial strain is evident.
As the gasoline crisis spreads, Putin has resumed travelling, in part to relocate assets. He has closed one of his favourite residences in Valdai, located in the Sochi region, which has become an active war zone on Russian territory. The residence, where his rumoured partner Alina Kabaeva reportedly spent summers, has been partially destroyed and is no longer visited. His large yacht has been relocated to the Barents Sea, close to the Northern Fleet but within reach of any drone, hardly a desirable yachting destination.
Many Russians are reportedly pleased when Putin visits their region, not out of affection but because during his visit or the day before, petrol stations have fuel at normal prices. Authorities stage repairs and even paint roads to create an attractive appearance. “Russia is already the largest country in the world with extremely poorly maintained territories and households and utilities. So they definitely do not need new territories. They need to take care of theirs,” Danylchuk noted. In some Siberian cities, residents report a brief reprieve from gasoline shortages during his visits, a crisis caused by Ukrainian drone sanctions in a country once considered the petrol station of the world.
Putin is preparing for September elections in Russia. Though Russian elections are not free, each such period remains a stress point for the Kremlin. Public support is perhaps the lowest ever.
In Ukraine, June and July 2026 were the deadliest months for civilians. Russia traditionally escalates knowing Ukraine lacks air defence, exploiting what Danylchuk described as a global shortage of military supplies following multiple conflicts. In July alone, Russia targeted Ukraine with 376 different kinds of missiles, killing 170 civilians. The front line is not moving, with some comparing the stalemate to the First World War. A vast kill zone created by drones on both sides keeps growing, fundamentally changing how wars are fought in the 21st century.
Danylchuk said Ukrainian experience will be vital for NATO and other countries planning their defence in modern warfare conditions, involving satellites, the internet, artificial intelligence and various types of drones. Foreign visitors to Ukraine report that life appears normal until a ballistic or drone attack occurs. “I am proud of every Ukrainian who like me stays here, buys coffee, travels, donates and this is what pushes our country to continue living as if everything was normal,” she said.
Russia is experiencing a shortage of missiles, with many attacks now conducted using North Korean missiles. A whole family was killed in Kyiv by a North Korean missile, highlighting the global nature of the conflict. “We are super determined to do the job. We have a lot of success in regaining our territory, in bringing war back to Russia, which is very important,” Danylchuk stated. The war zone now extends beyond the bordering regions of Belgorod and Kursk to Moscow and St. Petersburg, and even beyond the Urals, Russia’s natural shelter that protected military production for decades but is no longer safe due to drone warfare.
The analysis was released by Anna Danylchuk via The Sun’s coverage of the war in Ukraine.
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