Putin Was Unable to Land in Moscow: How Ukraine Is Finding New Vulnerabilities in Russia

Russia stands to lose far more than just individual oil refineries or military facilities. Ukraine is methodically dismantling the system that protects Moscow, supplies the Russian army with fuel, and allows reserves to be deployed to the front lines. At the same time, new drone strike tactics pose threats to the Kremlin even deep in the rear.

Military expert and reserve colonel Roman Svitan explained in an interview Channel 24, explained which targets could be the most painful for Russia, how a strike on a single airfield opens up opportunities for subsequent attacks, and why the consequences of Ukrainian operations may turn out to be much more far-reaching than they seem at first glance. He also assessed why NATO’s passivity could push the Kremlin toward new provocations.

Destroying Defensive Barriers: The Role of the Seshcha Airfield

Ukrainian defense forces are implementing a comprehensive approach to destroying Russia’s logistical and infrastructural capabilities. The main focus of this effort has been the methodical breaching of the air defense shield around Moscow. As Roman Svitan, a reserve colonel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, notes, the attacks on targets in the Moscow region are not random – they are part of a broader strategy to neutralize key enemy airfields and radio-technical nodes.

The first stage in “cutting through” a corridor to the Russian capital was the “ Attack on the Sescha Airfield ” in the Bryansk region. This facility served as a kind of barrier stretching over a hundred kilometers. It housed army, tactical, and light aircraft, as well as transport planes.

In addition, it housed radio-technical units and a full range of airfield and technical equipment that provided air defense in the direction of Moscow. The destruction of this hub cleared the way for subsequent waves of Ukrainian drones. The consequences of this operation are already being felt: attacks on data centers in Kaluga and a fire with an explosion in Pushkino, near Moscow. All of this is a direct result of the elimination of the forward lines of Russian air defense.

The Moscow region is densely packed with military, logistical, and energy facilities that are highly vulnerable. According to the expert, a single precise drone strike could burn down half of a facility, especially if it is involved in the production of explosive substances or has large transformer substations.

Weather sondes and the paralysis of Moscow’s skies

In addition to traditional strike drones, the Ukrainian army has begun employing an innovative tactic involving weather balloons. Air masses from Ukrainian territory are moving primarily in a northerly and northeasterly direction – directly toward Russia and Moscow.

Launching argon-filled balloons allows for the simultaneous fulfillment of several strategic objectives. First, they can serve as repeaters to create a mesh network, providing long-range communication for drones. Second, these aerostats are capable of delivering interceptor drones and FPV drones deep into enemy territory.

This tactic has already caused serious logistical problems for Russia’s top military and political leadership. In particular, due to the threat from the air, Vladimir Putin was unable to land in Moscow after a visit to Turkmenistan.

Russian intelligence agencies had to disperse the planes in different directions, rerouting them to St. Petersburg or sending them back. In fact, the use of relatively inexpensive weapons and accurate calculations of wind direction make it possible to paralyze air traffic over the Russian capital.

Economic Blow: Neutralizing the Ukhta Oil Refinery

In parallel with the strikes on military targets, the targeted destruction of the Russian oil refining industry continues. Lukoil’s Ukhta Oil Refinery has become a key target. Although its capacity is relatively small – 3 to 4 million metric tons per year – this facility was critical for supplying diesel fuel to Moscow and the Moscow region.

After Ukrainian drones halted production at the Yaroslavl refinery and damaged the Perm refinery, Ukhta took on the bulk of the responsibility for supplying fuel from the east. The refinery is located nearly 2,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, which attests to the high level of operational planning and the technological capability of Ukrainian drones to cover extremely long distances.

The destruction of Russian oil refining facilities has a direct impact on the situation on the battlefield. Every dollar Russia loses from the sale of petroleum products means fewer bullets and shells are purchased to fire at Ukrainian troops. That is precisely why any talk of a so-called “energy ceasefire” is extremely dangerous. Halting strikes on Russian oil refineries and ports would allow the Kremlin to restore financial flows and continue funding the war.

Belgorod and Luhansk as the enemy’s main military hubs

At the operational level, cutting off the enemy’s logistics routes in border areas and temporarily occupied territories remains critically important. Belgorod, located 70 kilometers from the border, has been transformed by the Russians into a key military hub for supplying their forces in the Kharkiv sector.

Streams of military equipment pass through this city en route to Vovchansk, Lyptsi, Velykyi Burluk, and Kupiansk. Civilian enterprises in Belgorod have been converted into transit warehouses and repair bases for damaged equipment. Russia’s accumulation of strategic reserves in this region requires constant fire support from the Ukrainian Armed Forces to disrupt the logistics chain.

A similar situation is observed in the temporarily occupied city of Luhansk. Over 12 years of occupation, the city has become a powerful launchpad for strategic reserves, supplying the Sloviansk, Lyman, and Kostiantynivka sectors. Former enterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex have been repurposed as repair and major-component assembly bases for weapons systems, including drones.

However, striking targets in Luhansk is complicated by geographical features – the Donetsk Ridge, rising 300–350 meters above sea level, has allowed the Russians to establish a dense barrier-type air defense system. To effectively destroy targets in this region, the Ukrainian army needs ballistic missiles such as the Vilkha or ATACMS, as it is extremely difficult for drones to penetrate such defenses.

The Geopolitical Game: China’s Role and NATO’s Passivity

Beyond purely military aspects, the war in Ukraine remains a battleground for global geopolitical confrontation. Russia, being completely dependent on China, is forced to serve as a tool for testing the West’s reaction. Beijing is pushing Moscow to carry out provocations against NATO countries in order to study the Alliance’s countermeasures.

This information is likely critical for China in planning its own operations in the Pacific region, particularly regarding Taiwan. The Russian leadership is aware of the suicidal nature of a direct conflict with NATO, as the Alliance possesses sufficient power to completely destroy what remains of Russia’s military capabilities.

Therefore, the Kremlin limits itself to “ hybrid provocations ” and drone attacks, attempting to test the West’s limits of patience. At the same time, the North Atlantic Alliance’s response remains insufficiently firm. Created to defend Europe against threats from the East, NATO has yet to engage at full strength. The lack of a decisive response to Russian provocations only encourages the aggressor and its Eastern backers to escalate further.

Roman Svitan on new threats to the Kremlin: video