On the 1588th day of war, drone attacks launched by Ukrainian forces once again outperformed those of Russia.
Over 400 drones were intercepted in Russia during the night. Nearly 60 of them were heading towards Moscow and caused the closure of two airports in the capital. Locals reported hearing explosions in the cities of Tula, Novorossiisk, and Ryazan.
Meanwhile, Russia launched over 150 drones. The air defense system shot down most of them in the north, south, center, and east of Ukraine.
In addition to the massive waves of drones, Ukraine is increasingly using the domestically produced Flamingo missile effectively. Three out of five missiles launched on Friday night hit a military plant in Russia, located approximately 500 kilometers from the border, according to Ukrainian official sources.
Against the backdrop of the improving results of the Ukrainian army, Volodymyr Zelensky mocked Moscow's military strategy and noted that Russia, considered an "oil state," has run out of fuel.
Furthermore, the fuel crisis is worsening in Russia, where there are reports of theft from tanks and conflicts in gas station queues.
The authorities in Moscow are trying to meet the demand and intend to allow the production of Euro 2 standard gasoline, with a higher sulfur content, which has been banned since 2013, for a year.
Ukraine's Strikes
- Drone Invasion - Russia announced that it intercepted 419 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 56 heading towards Moscow, leading to the temporary closure of two airports. Locals reported hearing explosions in the cities of Tula, Novorossiisk, and Ryazan. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on Telegram that air defense units began intercepting drones heading towards the capital around 4:00 local time, but did not mention casualties or damage. The attacks resulted in the temporary suspension of operations at the Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports in Moscow, as reported by Kyiv Post.
- 3 out of 5 Flamingo Missiles Hit Russia - A salvo of Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missiles delivered solid combat performance for the first time. Three out of five bus-sized missiles hit and partially destroyed a critical military component factory in Russia, as evidenced by geolocated images made public over the weekend, reported by Kyiv Post. Ukrainian official sources stated that on Friday night, five heavy FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles flew approximately 500-900 km into Russian airspace and damaged the military-industrial facility of the Federal Research and Production Center Titan-Barrikadii in Volgograd. Two workshops in the factory suffered major structural damage due to the explosion and fire inside the buildings. One of the hit workshops was the main production unit, which contained machine tools and assembly lines, including final production for ballistic missile launchers and rocket carriers used by the Russian military. The factory produces launchers and components for the Iskander-M missile, a ballistic weapon that the Kremlin has used for years to strike Ukraine.
Russia's Attacks
- Almost 140 Drones Downed - Russia launched 154 drones overnight. The air defense system downed 138 in the northern, southern, central, and eastern regions of Ukraine. 13 drone strikes were recorded, as communicated in the morning by Ukrainian Air Forces. In the Chernihiv region, two people were injured in an FPV drone attack.
Other Relevant Information
- Zelensky: Russia Continues to Postpone Donbas Conquest - The President of Ukraine mocked Russia's military strategy, stating that over the past four years, the Kremlin has set and subsequently postponed deadlines for capturing the Donbas region 15 times. Zelensky argued that such statements demonstrate a disconnect between the Russian leadership and social realities in Russia, where there is a fuel shortage. In his daily video address, Zelensky stated that Russia, often described as an "oil state," is facing difficulties in fuel supply due to Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure. He emphasized that these effects are a direct consequence of the war and military strategies adopted by Moscow.
- Russia Plans to Switch to Lower-Quality Gasoline - Moscow authorities intend to allow the production of Euro 2 standard gasoline, with a higher sulfur content, banned since 2013, for a year in an attempt to increase fuel supply, as announced by the Kommersant newspaper, cited by Reuters. This would eliminate the need for intensive oil refining and increase production by hundreds of thousands of tons per month. The only problem: this type of fuel is considered unsafe for modern cars.
- Theft from Tanks - The fuel crisis in Russia is worsening, with people starting to steal fuel from parked cars. The first such case has already been reported in Butovo Park, announced by Nexta. Conflicts in gas station queues have also escalated, with people becoming aggressive and slashing others' tires. "The guy came running, threatened me with a knife, and started slashing my tires," said a female driver, tears in her eyes. The woman recounted that the individual believed she had cut in line.
- Explosion in Monaco: Ukrainian Oligarch Seriously Injured - Three people were injured, two of them critically, following an explosion on Monday evening in a residential building in Monaco. The French press reports that the target of the explosion was businessman Vadim Iermolaiev, a real estate developer born in Ukraine and naturalized in Cyprus, considered one of the most influential business figures in Dnipro. Details HERE.