The campaign has targeted high-profile infrastructure deep within Russian territory. In June, drones struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg ahead of President Putin’s flagship economic forum there. Subsequent attacks hit a refinery in Moscow itself, generating viral footage of the explosions.
Most recently, a confirmed strike hit an oil refinery in Omsk, Siberia — roughly 2,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The drone’s ability to fly undetected for hours underscores how severely stretched Russia’s own air defenses have become.
Kyiv’s pressure campaign also extends to Crimea, the peninsula Moscow seized in 2014 that holds deep personal significance for Putin. Ukrainian drones now strike military logistics hubs, refineries, and power plants there almost daily, triggering power outages, fuel and food shortages, and an officially declared state of emergency.
A local resident described the situation to the BBC as “catastrophic,” evoking memories of the chaotic 1990s following the Soviet Union’s collapse. Putin has long claimed credit for rescuing Russia from that turmoil and restoring its standing.
Now, his full-scale war is bringing danger to Moscow’s doorstep through drone strikes and widespread fuel rationing. Against this backdrop, Zelensky will press NATO allies — and seek to persuade former President Trump — that Ukraine has shifted the war’s momentum. He will argue that sustained pressure, with Western support, can compel Russia into meaningful peace negotiations.
Trump has recently signaled openness to Ukraine’s position, though he held a 90-minute phone call with Putin this week, granting the Russian leader an early opportunity to shape the narrative. Above all, Kyiv aims to end the war quickly — whether through strength or diplomacy — before another punishing winter arrives.
To achieve that goal, Zelensky will contend, Ukraine urgently requires additional interceptor missiles to shield its cities and civilians.
