Ukraine did not give Russia a chance to profit from the global energy crisis — ISW
Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure have prevented the Kremlin from capitalizing on rising global energy prices.
This is according to an ISW report.
The aggressor country’s economy has come under intense pressure due to successful attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and its own ineffective financial policies.
Since March 2026, Ukraine has significantly increased the frequency, range, and intensity of high-precision strikes on Russian oil refining facilities.
According to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), these actions have caused a devastating cascade effect on the enemy’s export potential and domestic refining capacity.
The loss of key infrastructure nodes has completely negated the benefits Moscow would have gained from favorable conditions in the global market.
“Continued strikes on oil infrastructure will continue to negatively impact Russian revenues and prevent Russia from reaping any long-term benefits from the current rise in oil prices,” ISW experts predict.
The situation for the Kremlin is also exacerbated by internal systemic failures in state governance.
An additional destructive factor for the aggressor has been the suboptimal economic strategy implemented directly by the Kremlin leadership.
The increase in the value-added tax (VAT) in January 2026 triggered a rapid expansion of the shadow economy and a widespread rise in the cost of goods and services.
At the same time, the expected increase in revenues to the Russian Federation’s budget to finance the war never materialized.
At least four storage tanks were destroyed following a strike on an oil refinery in the Moscow region
On the night of May 17, a number of military-industrial complex and energy facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region were struck. Strikes were carried out on the oil depot in Durikino, the oil refinery in Kapotnya, the Angstrom microelectronics plant, and the Raduga Design Bureau, which develops cruise missiles.
On the morning of May 16, Moscow also came under attack by drones, causing airports in the Russian capital to temporarily suspend operations.
The “ATESH” partisan movement claimed responsibility for a sabotage operation in the Moscow region, which disrupted the functioning of elements of the Russian air defense system on the outskirts of the capital.
