Why Attacking Oil Refineries and Depots Is Exhausting Russia: An Expert Breaks Down the Strategy.

Russia's Exhaustion Strategy

According to Espreso.tv: Military expert Serhiy Hrabsky, a reserve colonel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has outlined how disrupting logistical chains is central to weakening Russia. He explains that targeting fuel supplies creates shortages that hamper Russian combat operations. According to Hrabsky, this approach now applies across the entire Russian Federation, not just in frontline areas.

Drone Strikes and Their Impact

On the night of June 16, drones struck Moscow and the Krasnodar region of Russia. The attack on the capital ignited a fire at the city's largest oil refinery. In the Kuban area, debris from a downed drone caused a blaze at a fuel depot. Hrabsky notes that Russia's vast distances make it critically reliant on uninterrupted logistics—a vulnerability these strikes exploit.

The expert emphasizes that breaking supply chains leads to shortages of specific goods, including fuel, in certain regions. Russian soldiers fighting on the Zaporizhzhia front, for example, are now forced to buy gasoline at their own expense from filling stations in the Rostov region, using canisters. Hrabsky adds that due to fuel shortages, mobile fire teams are unable to carry out their combat missions.

This strategy is being applied throughout Russia, achieving two primary objectives:

• disrupting logistical supply lines;
• preventing revenue from oil product refining.

Drone attacks on key infrastructure sites in Russia underscore the critical role of supply chains in military operations. Losing access to vital resources can significantly reduce an army's combat effectiveness, which in turn may alter the conflict's trajectory. As the expert points out, the fuel and food supply situation in Russia could have severe consequences not only for the military but also for civilians in the regions hardest hit by these strikes.