SouthernWorldwide.com – Ukraine has recently escalated its drone offensive, targeting Russia’s maritime and energy infrastructure on an unprecedented scale. In a three-day period, Ukraine claimed to have struck 21 vessels, with intensified attacks on major refineries deep within Russia further pressuring Moscow’s fuel supplies.
This significant wave of attacks demonstrated Ukraine’s evolving long-range strike capabilities.
Adding to this development, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara. During their meeting, Trump indicated that the United States would permit Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptors. Discussions also encompassed a potential drone agreement between the two nations.
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President Zelenskyy emphasized air defense as his paramount priority during the bilateral discussions. He also revealed that both governments had initiated work on a separate drone agreement.
“Air defense is the priority,” Zelenskyy stated, describing the emerging drone deal as a “very good beginning.” He expressed his hope to delve into further details with President Trump.
The timing of these developments allowed President Zelenskyy to present evidence at the summit showcasing Ukraine’s burgeoning domestic drone industry. This industry has proven capable of threatening Russian assets far beyond traditional battlefield confines.
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President Trump lauded President Zelenskyy as “very effective,” acknowledging the success of Ukrainian forces in utilizing American weaponry against Russia’s significantly larger military.
“He’s had the best equipment because he had our equipment,” Trump remarked. “But somebody has to use that equipment. And you have a lot of brave people that are using that equipment.”
Ukraine is increasingly forcing Russia into a defensive posture, necessitating the protection of refineries, airfields, shipping routes, and other vital infrastructure located far from the front lines. While Kyiv has not achieved a comparable breakthrough in the grinding ground campaign, and Russia continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, these repeated long-range strikes are beginning to disrupt fuel production and maritime logistics. Furthermore, these attacks are imposing costs on parts of Russia that were previously insulated from the conflict.
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On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces reported that nine Russian-linked vessels were struck in the Sea of Azov on Wednesday. This brought the total number of vessels targeted over a 72-hour period to 21.
Commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi stated that the targets included 19 oil tankers, a cargo ship, and a ferry operating near Russian-occupied Crimea. He characterized the campaign against the fleet as having reached an “industrial scale.”
Both Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that the overnight offensive targeted tankers, refineries, pipeline facilities, and a military airfield across several Russian regions.
Ukraine asserts that many of the targeted vessels were part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, utilized for transporting fuel to Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.
The maritime strikes were complemented by attacks on the Saratov refinery and energy facilities in the Russian regions of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Russian authorities reported one fatality in Saratov as a result of the strikes.
Ukraine also claimed responsibility for striking the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. Kyiv indicated that this base has been used by Russian combat aircraft involved in attacks against Ukraine.
The recent surge in attacks follows a Ukrainian strike on Monday targeting the Omsk refinery in Siberia, approximately 1,700 miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory. According to Reuters, this facility is Russia’s largest oil refinery, processing about 460,000 barrels of crude per day last year.
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Following the attack, two industry sources informed Reuters that the Omsk facility had ceased oil processing operations.
These disruptions are occurring at a time when parts of Russia are experiencing gasoline and diesel shortages. These shortages have been partly attributed to repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries and fuel depots.
Long queues have been observed at filling stations in several cities, and some regions have implemented purchasing restrictions. Russia announced on Wednesday that it would temporarily ban diesel exports until July 31 to safeguard its domestic supplies.
The fuel shortages have become one of the most palpable ways the war is impacting ordinary Russian citizens.
Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-funded RT network, acknowledged the hardships during an appearance on Russian state television. She urged Russians not to respond by challenging the country’s leadership.
“There is no petrol,” Simonyan stated in a translated clip shared by regional media.
Recalling the food rationing following the collapse of the Soviet Union, she remarked, “We endured it. And we will endure it now.”
Simonyan suggested that Russia’s adversaries aimed for the population to react as they did during the 1917 revolution, leading to an attempt to “run off to overthrow” the czar.
“Yes, it is hard, yes, very hard,” she admitted, imploring Russians to maintain their composure.
The mounting pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure provided the backdrop for President Zelenskyy’s meeting with President Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Compound on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine during the summit, launching missiles and drones at Kyiv and other cities. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that storage facilities were ablaze in the capital’s Desnyanskyi district and confirmed another fire in the Sviatoshynskyi district.
