As Ukraine hits Russia’s refineries, Russia targets Ukraine’s petrol pumps

Ukraine's capital city Kharkiv experienced Russian drone attacks on petrol stations, leaving two people injured. This follows an attack on a petrol station near Kryvyi Rih the previous week, which resulted in three deaths. The attacks intensified in April, primarily targeting regions on the front line. Russian forces have struck over 246 filling stations in Ukraine, according to analyst Oleksandr Sirenko.

In July, the Centre for Information Resilience documented 114 such strikes, compared to 66 in June. Russian drones, particularly the Iranian-made Shahed drones, have caused significant damage, with one station reportedly hit five times by a Shahed drone. Authorities in Ukraine have warned motorists to avoid petrol stations during air raid alerts, emphasizing that personal safety is paramount.

The strategic impact of these attacks has been considerable, with key roads in Ukraine suffering from destroyed petrol stations. In Russia, fuel shortages have become widespread due to the Ukrainian campaign against Russian refineries. Only 28% of Russian filling stations reportedly have petrol available, with the impact of the drone attacks on the Russian market being severe.