Ukraine Hits 13 Russian Targets in 40-Day Campaign, Disabling 42.74% of Refining Capacity
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 16
Ukraine Hits 13 Russian Targets in 40-Day Campaign, Disabling 42.74% of Refining Capacity
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 16
Summary
Thirteen long- and medium-range strikes in one recent week hit Russian airfields, refineries and oil terminals, including sites near Moscow, St Petersburg and occupied Crimea, as Kyiv’s 40-day campaign enters its third week.
By 5 July, Ukraine’s general staff said the broader strike effort had disabled 42.74% of Russia’s oil refining capacity, with eight refineries hit in a month, more than 60 storage tanks damaged or destroyed and losses reaching $13.5 billion.
The campaign is designed less to force immediate surrender than to pressure Putin politically and economically by bringing the war to major Russian cities, disrupting supply lines and deepening a fuel crisis.
Long petrol queues, drone overflights and refinery fires have rattled Muscovites and residents of St Petersburg, while strikes on Crimea’s roads and bridges have caused power cuts and exposed strains in Russia’s air-defense system.
Analysts say the operation could continue beyond the public 40-day window, with speculation about fresh missile strikes on Moscow-area military facilities and possible Ukrainian attempts to exploit thinning Russian forces.
As Ukraine's drones cripple its oil industry, is Russia's war machine finally running out of fuel and time?
Can Ukraine's 40-day pressure campaign force a superpower to the table, or will it provoke an even deadlier response?
With drones now striking deep inside Russia, how is the war's reality shifting for citizens far from the front lines?
43% of Russian Refineries Offline: Ukraine’s Deep Strike Campaign and the Economic, Military, and Global Fallout
Overview
In July 2026, Russia faced a severe fuel crisis after Ukraine intensified strikes on Russian refineries in spring 2026. As a result, nearly 43% of Russia’s oil refining capacity was offline, causing a sharp drop in fuel production. Russia’s crude oil processing fell by 25% compared to the previous year, and gasoline output dropped 17%, leaving domestic needs unmet. President Putin admitted to a fuel shortage, and the energy industry suffered billions in losses. This crisis highlights how Ukraine’s targeted attacks have deeply disrupted Russia’s ability to produce and supply fuel, leading to widespread economic and social impacts.