Ukrainian drones have struck Russian refineries nearly 200 times since the beginning of the year - FT
Kyiv • UNN
Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian drones have hit Russian oil refineries at least 194 times, which is 11 times more than last year. In May, the number of successful strikes reached a historic monthly record of 16.
Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian drones have hit Russian oil refineries at least 194 times, leading to a fuel crisis.
This is reported by the Financial Times after conducting its own analysis and citing data from the Polish analytical group Rochan Consulting, writes UNN.
According to analysts' calculations, the number of successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries in May reached a historical monthly record of 16. In total, since the beginning of 2026, Russian oil refineries have been hit at least 194 times, which is 11 times more than in the same period last year.
It is noted that at the same time, Moscow claims its military intercepts the vast majority of Ukrainian attack drones, the publication emphasizes. Official data published by the Russian Ministry of Defense shows that at least 63,933 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over Russia and temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in the first six months of 2026.
Half of all claimed interceptions occurred in the last two months, when Russia reported shooting down 14,195 drones in May and 17,832 in June. For comparison, the monthly figures for January and February did not exceed 6,000, the publication reports.
It is emphasized that the data on Ukrainian strikes and drone interceptions indicate a significant increase in the frequency and number of drones that successfully hit strategic energy facilities of the Russian Federation.
Analysts attribute the growing success of the Ukrainian drone campaign to its ability to significantly increase production, as well as improved management.
Support from U.S. intelligence also played a role, helping Kyiv choose the best routes for its drones and bypass Russian air defense systems.
"Ukraine has made a technological breakthrough that has allowed it to produce more long-range drones and increase their overall mass production," said Stefan Meister, head of the Eurasia program at the German Council on Foreign Relations.