Russia Forced to Import Jet Fuel as Ukraine Strikes Cripple Refineries

Ukraine said its strikes on Russian oil refineries have cut jet fuel production so sharply that Moscow is now buying fuel from abroad to keep its warplanes flying. In a statement over the weekend, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the GUR, said the attacks have caused a “significant reduction” in Russia’s jet fuel output. The agency added that Russia faces a “shortage of domestic resources” as it steps up air attacks on Ukraine while also trying to maintain civilian flights. To manage the shortfall, Russia has banned exports of its own aviation fuel and is now seeking to import foreign Jet A-1 fuel, the GUR said. That fuel is compatible with many Russian military aircraft, including jets used to launch missiles and bombs, as well as jet-powered drones. The GUR said Russia has already purchased at least 70,000 tonnes of aviation fuel from South Korea and Egypt, delivered on three “shadow fleet” tankers—vessels Russia uses to bypass Western sanctions through hidden ownership. The agency also said Russia is now fueling its Il-76MD-90A military transport planes with fuel that goes against manufacturer recommendations. Ukraine has been targeting oil and gas facilities deep inside Russia for months. Kyiv says the campaign is meant to damage Russia’s economy, which depends heavily on energy exports, and to limit Moscow’s ability to continue its invasion. Ukraine calls these strikes “long-range sanctions.” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this month that more deep strikes are coming, adding that they should show Russia that “peace is necessary.” Ukraine has increased the pace of these attacks this year, claiming hits on refineries, processing plants, and terminals. Zelenskyy said in June that nearly 40% of Russia’s primary oil refining capacity was offline as of the previous month. Russia’s economy has been partly cushioned by Western sanctions gaps and by the war in Iran, which limited other energy supplies. But Ukraine is trying to restore pressure on Russian oil and gas revenue. Ukraine has largely used homemade cruise missiles and drones for these long-range strikes, after Western partners restricted the use of their weapons inside Russia. Kyiv has recently unveiled drones with ranges exceeding 1,800 miles. Ukraine’s former defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said this month that Ukraine could develop domestically made ballistic missiles within the next three to six months. These weapons are faster and have longer ranges than cruise missiles. The strikes come as Russia intensifies its own attacks on Ukraine. Zelenskyy said on Sunday that in the past week, Russia launched nearly 2,000 attack drones, more than 1,600 glide bombs, and 31 missiles, including North Korean ballistic missiles. Ukraine says its campaign targets only military sites, not cities or civilian infrastructure. The strikes have not yet pushed Russia toward peace talks, but Kyiv hopes the fuel shortages will raise the cost of the war and limit some Russian attacks.