‘Did they achieve their goal? Partially’: Putin admits weakness as Ukraine claims 51% hit to Russia’s oil refining capacity

Ukraine claims its long-range strikes have neutralized over half of Russia's oil refining capacity, significantly weakening the country's ability to supply its forces during the four-and-a-half-year-long invasion. The Russian Defense Ministry reports that strikes on refineries in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Ust-Luga, Perm, Saratov, and Syzran have put 51% of the country's oil refining capacity out of action, though this cannot be independently verified.

President Vladimir Putin admitted in a recent meeting that the strikes have cost Russia roughly 1% of its GDP, admitting that the attacks achieved their goal "partially". Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara stated that these strikes have dealt a significant blow to the enemy's economy and their capacity to wage aggression and supply troop groupings.

Russian refineries have been hit as many as 15 times since the war began, with one refinery targeted every three days in recent months. This has led to a cycle of damage and emergency repairs that could degrade units in the long term, according to the International Energy Agency. The strikes have also caused a 30% decline in diesel output, forcing drivers to wait up to 40 hours to fill up at gas stations.

In response, Russian refiners have delayed maintenance, brought mothballed units back online, and lowered fuel quality standards to maintain gasoline supplies, risking damage to engines and pollution control equipment. Meanwhile, Russian strikes have killed at least two people in Kharkiv, while Ukrainian air defenses have successfully shot down Russian drones using AI-operated turrets for the first time.