Ukraine’s war with Russia has entered a striking new phase, marked by a dramatic escalation in long-range attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at a series of briefings this week, laid out the details of a campaign that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, is causing significant gasoline shortages and forcing Moscow to tap into its emergency reserves. These developments underscore both Ukraine’s growing domestic defense industry and the evolving nature of the conflict, where technology and innovation have become as decisive as troop numbers and battlefield maneuvers.
According to the Associated Press, Zelenskyy announced on October 9, 2025, that Ukraine’s newly developed long-range missiles and drones are inflicting serious fuel shortages inside Russia. “The main thing is that (Russia is) now importing gasoline — that’s a signal,” Zelenskyy told reporters, citing Ukrainian intelligence that estimates Russia has lost up to 20% of its gasoline supply after a series of targeted strikes. He added, “According to our data, they’ve lost up to 20% of their gasoline supply — precisely after our strikes.” This figure, he noted, is supported by Russia’s recent moves to boost imports from Belarus sixfold, lift import duties, and bring in fuel from China.
The centerpiece of Ukraine’s campaign is a new family of homegrown weapons. The Palianytsia missile, for example, has struck dozens of Russian military depots, while the Ruta missile drone recently hit a Russian offshore oil platform over 250 kilometers away, a feat Zelenskyy described as “a major success for the new weapon.” Swarms of Liutyi and Fire Point long-range drones—sometimes up to 300 in a single operation—have also targeted Russian energy facilities deep inside enemy territory. Ukrainian forces have supplemented these attacks with Neptune and Flamingo missile systems, which have been used in tandem for recent strikes, as confirmed by Zelenskyy in remarks reported by Ukrinform.
“Last week – I won’t say how many, but there has been the use of our Neptune and Flamingo pair. The corresponding results can be analyzed independently. We are not suggesting that this is the mass use of this pair. We are simply saying that there has been usage, and there are the first noticeable results from this particular weapon of ours,” Zelenskyy said. The Flamingo missile, in particular, made headlines at the end of August 2025 when it was used in a mass salvo against an FSB outpost and patrol boats in Crimea near Armyansk. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has also unveiled an updated version of the Neptune cruise missile, further bolstering the country’s arsenal.
The impact of these attacks has been profound. As reported by RBC-Ukraine and corroborated by international outlets, Russian media themselves have acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes have paralyzed 38% of Russia’s oil refinery capacity, creating what some describe as an unprecedented crisis in the Russian fuel market. Bloomberg noted that, paradoxically, Russian oil shipments by sea have reached their highest levels in 16 months—a sign that Moscow is scrambling to compensate for the disruption caused by the Ukrainian strikes.
Business Insider, drawing on sources within Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), reported that nearly 40% of Russian refinery capacity is currently idle as a direct result of the Ukrainian deep-strike campaign. “The SBU continues to cause serious damage to the Russian economy, working on the facilities of the oil and gas industry of the Russian Federation,” a security source was quoted as saying. They added, “The decrease in petrodollar revenues to the budget directly affects the aggressor’s ability to continue the war against Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s tactics are not just about inflicting economic pain—they are also about shifting the psychological balance of the war. Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that Russian attacks on Kyiv’s energy grid will be met with reciprocal strikes on Moscow’s infrastructure. “Russia must understand that if it threatens blackouts in Kyiv, it will get blackouts in Moscow,” he said, underscoring a new era of asymmetric warfare where both sides now possess the means to strike far beyond the front lines.
Despite the influx of Western military aid, Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign has relied heavily on domestically produced weapons. Restrictions on the use of Western-supplied cruise and tactical ballistic missiles for strikes inside Russia have forced Kyiv to innovate. Zelenskyy, speaking to domestic and international audiences, praised Ukraine’s weapons manufacturers and set an ambitious goal: by the end of 2025, at least 50% of the weaponry used at the front should be Ukrainian-made. Currently, that figure stands at over 40%.
“Their equipment has become more accurate,” Zelenskyy said, pointing to the increasing sophistication of Ukraine’s drone and missile programs. The country has poured resources into defense innovation, transforming itself into a global center for military technology in just a few years. The Palianytsia, Ruta, Liutyi, Fire Point, Neptune, and Flamingo systems are all products of this effort, and their effectiveness has been demonstrated repeatedly in recent operations.
The scale and reach of Ukraine’s campaign are striking. Since August 2025, there have been at least 24 documented attacks on Russian oil refineries, according to analysts at the UK-based Centre for Information Resilience. Some strikes have landed more than 800 miles inside Russian territory, a testament to the range and precision of Ukraine’s new arsenal. These attacks have forced Russia to dip into its diesel reserves—resources that had been set aside for emergencies—and have exposed the vulnerability of an industry that accounts for roughly 20% of the country’s GDP.
On the battlefield, the momentum has shifted as well. Zelenskyy described a recent Ukrainian counter-offensive around Pokrovsk and Dobropillia in the eastern Donetsk region as “very difficult but very timely—and successful.” He claimed that the operation derailed Russia’s summer offensive campaign and thwarted Moscow’s plans to occupy much of Donetsk by November. Intercepted Russian communications, he said, reveal that commanders have been ordered “to take Pokrovsk at any cost.”
Yet, Ukraine is also bracing for the possibility of intensified Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure as winter approaches. Zelenskyy outlined contingency plans: “Plan A is to rely more on our own extraction. Plan B … is to switch to imports. We understand the volumes, the cost of those imports, and where to get the necessary funds.”
In Washington, the debate over providing Ukraine with even more advanced weaponry continues. Zelenskyy has specifically requested American-made Tomahawk missiles, which could further extend Ukraine’s reach. While U.S. officials have not yet agreed, Zelenskyy remains optimistic. “At the last meeting I did not hear ‘no,’” he said, noting that discussions are ongoing at a technical level. A Ukrainian delegation led by Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko is set to travel to the U.S. for talks on air defense, energy cooperation, sanctions, and the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s war effort.
As both sides escalate their campaigns, the war’s next phase will likely be shaped as much by innovation and economic pressure as by movements on the battlefield. Ukraine’s ability to strike deep into Russian territory has not only altered the strategic calculus but also given Kyiv a rare bright spot in a conflict that has often seemed intractable. The coming months will reveal just how far this new generation of weapons—and the resolve behind them—can shift the balance.
