Russia is increasingly feeling the effects of Ukrainian strikes on its rear infrastructure. Strikes on fuel facilities in the Moscow region could disrupt aviation operations, while strikes on key logistics hubs could complicate supply lines for Russian troops.

Political strategist Taras Zagorodniy explained in an interview with Channel 24 why the strike on the “Volodarska” oil depot is of strategic importance for the Moscow region and how Ukraine can turn Russian logistics routes into a zone of constant attacks. He also discussed why the U.S. is using the prospect of a possible plague outbreak in Russia as part of its strategy against China and what is driving India to shift its stance toward Moscow.

The latest massive drone attack on the Moscow region was one of the most powerful in the past two years. The destruction of the “Volodarska” production and dispatch station deserves special attention. This is not just another oil depot, but a key element of Moscow’s fuel system, which supplies aviation fuel to the capital’s airports. This infrastructure was built back in the Soviet era and features underground fuel transfer, which significantly simplified logistics for Russian aviation.

Striking such a facility is a direct way to halt enemy air traffic, as without a stable fuel supply, the operation of airports becomes impossible. This is a very critical facility, and putting it out of commission would deal a significant blow to logistics in the Moscow region.

Important! On the night of October 6, 2026, a massive attack by hundreds of drones on the Moscow Region resulted in serious damage to the fuel infrastructure. The strikes triggered a massive fire at the Volodarskaya oil depot. Due to the threat and smoke, operations at Moscow’s main airports were completely paralyzed, and authorities reported air defense activations and damage to residential buildings.

In parallel with the strikes on the capital region, Russia is forced to urgently prepare its logistics hubs and bridges from Moscow to Rostov for possible ballistic missile attacks. Rostov-on-Don is a massive hub that has been sustaining Russia’s aggression against Ukraine since 2014.

Attack on Russian logistics / screenshot from video

If the Ukrainian Defense Forces manage to launch a “safari” on this strategically important route similar to the one on the land corridor from Mariupol to Crimea, it will effectively paralyze Moscow’s connection with the Caucasus region. The Russian command is well aware that Ukraine’s firepower is constantly growing, and that Russia’s vast territory is turning into a vast testing ground for striking the most vulnerable targets with new weapons.

A separate front is unfolding around the alleged plague outbreak in the Irkutsk Region. Despite attempts by the Russian leadership to conceal the scale of the problem, this issue has reached the highest international level.

Statements by U.S. officials regarding a biological threat in Russia have a hidden geopolitical subtext. It’s not that the U.S. fears the spread of the infection to its own territory – an ocean separates it from Russia. This is a calculated information campaign aimed at putting pressure on China.

The Irkutsk region is located in close proximity to the Chinese border, which a significant number of people cross every day. By stoking panic over Moscow’s inability to control dangerous pathogens, Washington is demonstrating to Xi Jinping that Russia is becoming an uncontrollable threat. This is a lever of pressure intended to force Beijing to cooperate with the U.S. in jointly bringing the Russian chaos under control and limiting Russia’s potential.

Against the backdrop of Russia’s domestic problems and Ukraine’s successful strikes, the behavior of countries that previously held a neutral or pro-Moscow stance is also changing. For example, India’s sudden peace initiative and its willingness to act as a mediator in negotiations are driven solely by pragmatic interests.

Due to the war, food prices – particularly for grain and vegetable oil, which India actively purchases from Ukraine and Russia – have jumped by 20%. This creates the risk of domestic unrest, which poses a direct threat to the government. In addition, New Delhi is under serious pressure from the U.S. regarding the purchase of Russian oil.

Therefore, their actions are not driven by concern for Ukraine, but by an attempt to save their own economy. The world is built on power: when Ukraine demonstrates its ability to deliver painful blows and has the backing of sanctions pressure from its partners, it begins to be taken seriously, while Russia’s former allies seek ways to minimize their own losses.

Political strategist on Russia’s difficulties due to the war: watch the video