Kyiv: Strikes on Russian oil facilities by Ukraine’s newly developed long-range missiles and drones
are causing significant gas shortages in Russia, while on the battlefield a recent Ukrainian counter-offensive has derailed Russia’s plans to capture parts of the eastern Donetsk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.
Ukraine’s new Palianytsia missile has hit dozens of Russian military depots, Zelenskyy said.
The Ruta missile drone, meanwhile, recently struck a Russian offshore oil platform more than 250 km away in what Zelenskyy called “a major success” for the new weapon.
Also, swarms of Liutyi and Fire Point long-range drones — up to 300 units in one operation — have hit Russian energy facilities, and Ukrainian forces recently fired
Neptune and
Flamingo missile systems at Russia, the Ukrainian leader said.
Russian fuel shortages and higher imports indicate that Ukraine’s attacks are working, Zelenskyy said at a news briefing Wednesday. His remarks were embargoed until Thursday.
“The main thing is that (Russia is) now importing gasoline — that’s a signal,” he said. Ukrainian intelligence reports
show Russia has boosted imports from Belarus sixfold and removed import duties, while also bringing in fuel from China.