Vladimir Putin has been dealt a string of devastating blows this week after critical Russian infrastructure was hit by Ukrainian strikes.
A total of 10 sites across the country were targeted, including oil depots, refineries, and manufacturing plants – damaging not only the war effort but trade also.
Russia‘s highly sanctioned and alienated economy still relies heavily on trading oil and gas, the export sales of which brought in £197 billion dollars last year.
However, continued strikes by Ukraine on vital plants that facilitate this trade are causing it to suffer.
Sergey Vakulenko, senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Centre, said the cost of rebuilding is “probably in the vicinity of tens of millions of dollars per plant”.
A map created by Newsweek has revealed the sites that were struck in the last week alone as drones rained down over Rostov, Kursk, Voronezh, Bryansk, Krasnodar, Belgorod, and the Sea of Azov.
In a particularly daring strike that caused a fire to break out, Ukraine hit the Taneco oil refinery on January 11, over 620 miles from the front lines in that Tatarstan region.
The plant is one of Russia‘s “largest and most modern refineries” and has been vital in maintaining Putin’s war path as it processes over 16 million tonnes of oil each year.
Just two days later, Ukraine attempted to “cut off gas supplies to European countries” by targeting the Turkish Stream pipeline via the Russkaya compressor station in Krasnodar Territory .
The Russian Defence Ministry said all nine drones were shot down, but the site and its equipment were still damaged by debris.
The day after, Ukraine launched an overnight strike using Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to “distract” Russian air defences and hit the Bryansk Chemical Plant.
The plant, in the west of the country, produces gunpowder, manufactures rockets and explosives parts, and produces ammunition.
Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, said Ukraine‘s continued attacks are hindering Russia‘s most important resources – oil and gas.
He wrote on X: “Ukraine‘s developed capability to strike deep inside Russia with drones on targets like fuel depots, arms factories, and far military bases. This brings a war home to Russia and limits its ability to earn oil export revenue.
“The bottom line is that two sides can play any game Russia starts. If Russia targets Ukraine with drones, Ukraine will develop capabilities and retaliate. Missiles are more difficult, but it is also likely to be a question of time for Ukraine.”