Russia Scrambles to Triple Drone Troops as Ukraine Strikes Deep at Oil Lifelines

Russia Scrambles to Triple Drone Troops as Ukraine Strikes Deep at Oil Lifelines Russia is attempting to nearly triple the size of its specialized military drone units to 165,000 personnel by year's end, even as Ukrainian long-range drone strikes continue to hammer critical Russian energy infrastructure, including a key oil depot feeding the Black Sea fleet [125244]. The massive drone army expansion, revealed by Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, underscores Moscow's focus on technological warfare amid a grueling conflict. The plan aims to deploy a force of 165,000 "drone troops," a dramatic increase from its current reported strength [125244]. Concurrently, Ukraine is intensifying a campaign to cripple Russia's war economy by targeting oil refineries and energy facilities far behind the front lines. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed these strikes will continue "until Moscow stops its own assaults on Ukraine's power grid" [125247]. He framed the strategy starkly: "If we don't hit them in the face, they will hit us and won’t feel what war is" [125247]. A recent Ukrainian attack struck the "Krymskaya" oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region, a critical fuel artery for the strategic Black Sea port of Novorossiysk [125244]. These energy strikes are designed to reduce Russia's fuel supplies and impose a direct cost for its ongoing bombardment of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, which has caused widespread blackouts [125247]. The financial strain of the war is mounting for Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly asked the country's wealthy oligarchs for direct donations to support the military budget, following a year where defence spending surged by 42% [112938]. This request highlights the pressure from a widening budget deficit, exacerbated by sanctions that force Russia to sell oil at a discount [112938]. Despite the economic challenges, diplomatic signals suggest Russia is preparing for a prolonged conflict, with analysts noting no shift in its strategic goals [17910]. An expert on U.S.-Europe relations stated that Russia's strong battlefield position means it feels "no urgency to negotiate" a peace deal [17045]. Russia Aims to Triple Drone Army; Ukraine Hits Key Oil Depot Zelenskyy: Ukraine Will "Make Russia Feel the War" With Energy Strikes Putin Seeks Oligarch Donations to Fund War as Defence Budget Strains Putin Signals Long War in Ukraine Amid Economic Strain Russia Holds Advantage, In No Rush on Ukraine Deal, Expert Says