Ukraine’s Military Plans Major Strikes on Russian Refineries: Targets and Timeline Revealed.

Ukraine’s Strategy to Hit Russia’s Energy Infrastructure

According to Espreso.tv: Retired Major General Volodymyr Havrylov has detailed the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ plans to target Russia’s energy infrastructure, specifically its oil refining sector, starting in March 2026. He argues that such strikes could deal a severe blow to Russia’s economy. For an English-speaking audience, this represents a significant escalation in Ukraine’s long-range campaign, moving beyond tactical military targets to strategic economic assets.

Havrylov, who served as Ukraine’s deputy defense minister from 2022 to 2023 and headed the Yevgeniy Bereznyak Military Diplomatic Academy in 2014-2015, emphasized the critical role of energy infrastructure for the adversary. He stated:

“We now understand the enemy’s ‘Achilles’ heel’—energy, oil, gas, logistics along the front line, and in temporarily occupied territories.” - Volodymyr Havrylov

Notably, on the night of May 31, Ukrainian defense forces already struck the Saratov Oil Refinery in Saratov, Russia, triggering a massive confirmed fire at the facility. Havrylov stressed that 'strikes on oil infrastructure are extremely painful for Russia’s economy.'

Scaling Up Attacks: Ukraine’s Strategic Drone Campaign

He added that the scale of these attacks will grow as Ukraine’s drone production continues to ramp up.

“From our side, the scale of these attacks will only increase.” - Volodymyr Havrylov

Targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure is poised to become a cornerstone of Ukraine’s war strategy, aiming to weaken the adversary’s economic power. Beyond inflicting economic damage, these actions demonstrate Ukraine’s readiness to respond aggressively, leveraging advanced technologies like drones to execute these plans effectively in the coming years.