An officer implicated in acts of terror against Ukraine has been eliminated, and oil refineries are being blown up: A wave of powerful strikes has hit Russia

Russia is increasingly losing important military and strategic targets far from the front lines. Ukrainian drones are reaching the largest oil refineries, military ships, and aircraft, forcing the occupiers to strengthen defenses even in remote regions.

Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg, a car belonging to a high-ranking officer of Russia’s 6th Air Force and Air Defense Army, who may have been involved in planning missile strikes on Ukraine, including the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, was blown up. Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, spoke about the losses Russia is suffering in an interview with 24 Channel .

A New Geography of Strikes: From Omsk to the Far East

The latest attacks on Russian oil refineries demonstrate a significant expansion of the Defense Forces’ technological capabilities. Damage to the Omsk Oil Refinery – which is located 3,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and produces one in every six liters of Russian fuel – proves that the concept of a “secure rear” no longer exists for the occupiers.

The Russians are already coming to terms with this new reality: recruitment for mobile strike groups is currently underway even on the illegally occupied island of Sakhalin and in Kamchatka. The enemy is preparing for the possibility that Ukrainian drones are capable of reaching any military or economic target on Russian territory.

Over the past few weeks, at least nine Russian oil refineries have been struck, including five of the largest. However, the main change lies not only in the number of attacks but also in their methodology.

Previously, Ukrainian drones primarily targeted primary oil refining equipment. Now the strategy has been adjusted: attacks last for hours, and their goal is to destroy the entire complex, including tanks, storage facilities, and related infrastructure. This significantly increases the effectiveness of the strikes, creating a real fuel shortage in Russian regions and depriving the enemy of the resources needed to wage war.

Full interview with Serhiy Bratchuk: watch the video

The Black Sea–Baltic Axis: Neutralizing the Russian Fleet

The Baltic region has become a separate strategic focus. Since 60% of Russia’s shadow oil fleet passes through the Baltic Sea, and the North Atlantic Alliance cannot block it militarily, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have begun systematically targeting this region.

The destruction of a small “Buyan-M”-class missile ship ("Naro-Fominsk") in the Gulf of Finland – which carries "Kalibr" and "Onyx" missiles – demonstrates the preemptive destruction of missile-carrying vessels. The enemy could have transferred this ship via inland waterways to the Caspian or Black Sea to launch attacks on Ukraine.

In addition, the attacks on the Ust-Luga port complex and the destruction of aircraft (Ka-52 and Mi-8 helicopters and a MiG-31 fighter jet) in St. Petersburg are forcing Russia to spread out its air defense systems. Now the occupiers have to defend not only Moscow or Belgorod, but also the Leningrad Oblast, which places an additional strain on their military-industrial complex.

Elimination of Command Structures and a Shift in Propaganda Rhetoric

In parallel with the strikes on infrastructure, a targeted hunt for Russian war criminals continues. The elimination of high-ranking officials of Russia’s 6th Air Force and Air Defense Army (presumably Andriy Khodikin or Dmitry Lobodin), who were directly involved in planning missile strikes on Ukrainian cities – including the “Okhmatdyt” Children’s Hospital – demonstrates the inevitability of punishment for the Russian command.

By the way, on November 12, a car belonging to an officer of Russia’s 6th Air Force and Air Defense Army was blown up in St. Petersburg. According to preliminary data, the victim may have been Colonel Dmitry Lobodin, the unit’s chief navigator, who participated in the invasion of Ukraine. Another possibility being considered is the death of Andriy Khodikin, the army’s deputy commander.
According to Russian media reports, explosives were attached to the underside of the SUV and detonated remotely. A 31-year-old man is suspected of planning the attack; according to investigators, he took a job at a store near the military officer’s home to monitor his movements. After planting the explosives, he drove to the airport and left Russia.

These systematic losses in logistics, equipment, and command personnel are already affecting morale within Russia. Prominent Russian propagandists are beginning to openly acknowledge the impossibility of achieving their stated goals – in particular, the capture of Odesa – and are noting the exhaustion of the occupying army.

Enormous casualties are forcing the enemy to abandon large-scale offensive operations on many sections of the front, which is a direct consequence of the technological and asymmetric warfare successfully waged by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.