Strikes on Russian Oil Facilities Are ‘Fastest Sanctions,’ Zelenskyy Says

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s long-range drone and special forces operations against Russia’s oil industry are delivering the most immediate form of sanctions, crippling Moscow’s capacity to fund its war.

The Gaze reports this, referring to the president’s evening address on Sunday.

Zelenskyy praised Ukrainian units for targeting refineries, terminals and depots, calling the attacks “truly significant losses” for Russia both on the battlefield and on its own territory.

“The most effective sanctions are the ones that work instantly – fire at Russian oil refineries, at their terminals and depots,” he said, adding that energy remains the key driver of the Kremlin’s war machine.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukrainian drones operated by the Security Service can now strike targets more than 1,000 kilometers away. 

He highlighted recent damage at the Primorsk oil terminal on the Baltic Sea and stressed that other hubs, including Ust-Luga, remain in Kyiv’s sights.

His remarks coincided with another overnight drone strike on the Novo-Ufimsk refinery in Russia’s Bashkortostan region, about 1,500 kilometers from Ukraine. 

Local residents reported a large fire, and regional authorities confirmed the attack while downplaying the damage.

The Novo-Ufimsk incident adds to a string of Ukrainian strikes that have forced Russian refineries offline, disrupted fuel supplies and triggered fires at some of the country’s most strategic energy assets.

Kyiv argues such attacks are curbing Moscow’s ability to wage war faster than traditional Western sanctions.

As The Gaze previously reported, after a series of targeted attacks by Ukrainian drones, the gasoline shortage in Russia, which was initially observed only in some remote regions, began to spread rapidly, covering more and more areas and significantly complicating fuel supplies.