Russian forces have intensified attacks on civilian fuel stations across Ukraine, with recent strikes in Kharkiv and near Kryvyi Rih injuring civilians and destroying infrastructure. These attacks, which began in earnest in April, are becoming more frequent, particularly in frontline regions.
In Kharkiv, two petrol stations were hit by Russian drones on Monday, resulting in injuries to two people. The mayor of the city, Ihor Terekhov, has urged drivers to fill up quickly and leave. A similar attack outside Kryvyi Rih last week killed three people.
Oleksandr Sirenko, an analyst with the Ukrainian energy think-tank Nafto Rynok, stated that Russia has targeted at least 246 filling stations in Ukraine. The Centre for Information Resilience, an open-source investigation non-profit group, verified 114 Russian strikes on filling stations in July alone, an increase from 66 in June.
Ukrainian police have issued guidance advising motorists to leave petrol stations and, if necessary, abandon their vehicles during air raid alerts, emphasizing the risk to life. "You can fix your car, but you won't get your life back," one police force advised.
Initially, Russia employed smaller, remote-controlled drones for these attacks. However, they have increasingly used larger, more destructive Iranian-made Shahed drones, which are estimated to cost between $20,000 and $50,000 each. Sirenko noted that some petrol stations have sustained multiple Shahed hits, with the cost of the drones exceeding the value of the targeted infrastructure.
These strikes on civilian infrastructure occur concurrently with Ukraine's continued drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, which have led to severe fuel shortages in Russia on at least two occasions. The dual targeting of energy infrastructure highlights a growing strategic element in the conflict, impacting civilian logistics and national fuel supplies for both nations.