Russia Burns, but Putin May Not Stop

Ukraine's unprecedented drone campaign is inflicting significant damage on Russia's economy, targeting key infrastructure like oil refineries and naval facilities deep within the country. This strategy aims to make the war too costly for Moscow to continue.

The impact is becoming undeniable. Independent media report long lines at gas stations across Russia, a reality the Kremlin has struggled to conceal. In Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, a state of emergency has been declared, and fuel sales halted. Even for the Kremlin, ignoring the mounting problems is becoming impossible.

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You know very well that drivers and businesses are having problems. It is regrettable, but queues continue to form at gas stations.

President Vladimir Putin convened an emergency meeting, admitting that the nation's fuel reserves are dangerously low. "You know very well that drivers and businesses are having problems," Putin told officials, acknowledging the queues that authorities had been denying for weeks. He also hinted at a potential ban on diesel exports, a reversal from previous assurances, and confirmed a working group is addressing fuel supply issues.

Putin also warned of risks to agriculture and stated Russia must "minimize the impact of terrorist attacks on our civilian objects and infrastructure." This marks a shift from his earlier downplaying of Ukrainian drone attacks. Ironically, Russia's systematic destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure for years aimed to break civilian morale. Now, Ukraine appears to be turning that logic back on Russia, with its citizens experiencing the consequences of the regime's actions.

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Russia's fatigue is already evident. Therefore, now...