Ukraine's strikes against Russia are undermining Putin's authority but do not threaten the regime — Politico
Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory are undermining Vladimir Putin’s political authority, but do not pose a direct threat to his power. According to Politico, Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes to increase the Kremlin’s economic and political losses in order to force Putin to take a diplomatic resolution to the war more seriously.
While the Russian leadership had long managed to shield its own population from the consequences of the conflict, in recent months Ukrainian drones have struck numerous oil refineries, fuel terminals, and large logistics warehouses belonging to e-commercegiants Wildberries and Ozon. The air campaign has targeted facilities more than 2,700 km away (including the Omsk Oil Refinery in Siberia), causing fuel shortages at Russian gas stations, problems for small businesses, and disruptions to civilian air traffic—which Zelenskyy has promised to make even more dangerous for foreign airlines.
Despite disappointment among Russian civilians and criticism from Russian military bloggers, experts note that these strikes do not yet pose a direct threat to Putin’s regime, although they do undermine his authority among the Russian elite. Former NATO official John Lof emphasizes that the leadership is increasingly recognizing the damage to Russia’s security, but a revolution or rapid coup should not be expected.
At the same time, analysts warn that Ukraine’s situation ahead of the coming winter remains challenging due to the risk of intensified Russian missile attacks on energy infrastructure; so during recent meetings with Western allies, Kyiv’s primary focus has been not only on peace initiatives but also on the country’s survival through the winter, according to Politico.
As a reminder, the Ozon logistics hub caught fire in Saratov following a drone attack.
Earlier, an oil refinery caught fire in Volgograd following an attack.
As of the morning of September 10, 2026, the Russian army’s total personnel losses since the start of the full-scale invasion amount to approximately 1,502,390 soldiers. In the past 24 hours alone, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia lost another 1,520 servicemen.
The day before, 221 combat engagements were recorded along the front line. The enemy launched the most attacks in the Pokrovsk direction, where the Defense Forces repelled 21 assaults, and Russian troops lost more than 60 occupiers.
