‘Battered’ Putin Vows to Hit Back as Crisis Spirals

Live updates

1. 12d ago

   Ukraine Deep-Strike Campaign Triggers Russian Gasoline Shortages

   Ukrainian drone and boat attacks have targeted Russian energy infrastructure, reducing gasoline output to 70% of domestic demand in late August. Strikes hit the Novatek oil complex, the KINEF refinery, and the Kirishi refinery, the latter of which halted processing. Fires were also reported at the Ust-Luga export port. These operations, reaching up to 1,900 km into Russian territory, have pushed citizens back into gasoline lines. While President Putin has vowed to retaliate, economists remain divided on whether these disruptions represent a temporary squeeze or a broader industrial collapse.

   Why it matters

   Russia relies heavily on oil exports and domestic refining to fuel its economy and military efforts. By targeting refineries and ports, Ukraine aims to degrade the logistics and financial resources supporting the war. The expansion of strike depth indicates a shift in Ukrainian operational reach.

   What is confirmed

   • Ukrainian drones struck the Novatek oil complex in the Leningrad region.
   • A drone attack caused a fire at the Ust-Luga port.
   • The Kirishi oil refinery halted processing following drone strikes.
   • Ukrainian forces targeted the KINEF oil refinery and Yeysk Airbase.
   • An uncrewed Ukrainian boat struck a Russian support vessel at Sochi Port.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Ukraine's air attacks damaged civilian facilities in the Samara region.

   What to watch next

   • Data on whether Russian gasoline production recovers or continues to decline.
   • Official Russian military response to the deep-strike operations.
   • Confirmation of the total refining capacity lost across the Leningrad region.
   Sources used for this update (20)

   1. Bloomberg.com — Ukraine’s Record Strikes Push Russians Back to Gasoline Lines
   2. Reuters — EXCLUSIVE: Russia's gasoline output drops to 70% of domestic demand late in August after drone attacks, sources say
   3. Bloomberg.com — Drone Strike Causes Blaze at Oil Refinery in Russia’s Kirishi
   4. Meduza — Is Russia’s fuel crisis a temporary squeeze or the collapse of an industry? Two leading economists debated the question, unable to agree on how much refining capacity is left.
   5. UNITED24 Media — Ukrainian Drones Hit Novatek Complex Near Saint Petersburg in Deep Strike Operation
   6. The Moscow Times — Ukrainian Drone Attack Sparks Fire at Ust-Luga Port
   7. Newsquawk — Ukraine's Military Intelligence says Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Novatek oil complex in the Leningrad region
   8. Українська правда — Ukraine's Defence Intelligence strikes Russian Novatek-Ust-Luga complex supporting war against Ukraine
   9. The Daily Beast — ‘Battered’ Putin Vows to Hit Back as Crisis Spirals
   10. Kyiv Post — Ukrainian Drones Hit Yeysk Airbase and Russia’s KINEF Oil Refinery
   11. AOL.com — Stuttering Bessent blames Ukraine for 'energy shock' as he fails to explain surging prices
   12. New York Post — Bessent says Ukraine causing high gas prices: ‘They want to blow up Russian energy assets’
   confidence 80%