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This is Svetlana Bronnikova from the independent media outlet 7x7.

By the summer of 2026, the consequences of the protracted war in Ukraine had ceased to feel remote for residents of Russia’s regions. Sustained drone attacks on critical infrastructure have reshaped the economy, the environment, and everyday life across the country.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Economic Blow: Damaged Oil Refineries and Disrupted Air Travel

Russia’s fuel and energy sector has become one of the primary targets of drone attacks. Between the start of the war and the end of May 2026, drones struck the country’s 24 largest oil refineries 158 times. As a result, roughly two-thirds of Russia’s major refining capacity has been put out of operation.

Restoring the damaged facilities has been complicated by international sanctions. Until 2022, around 80% of the components used at Russian oil refineries were imported from the EU and the United States. Existing stockpiles were fully depleted by November 2023. As a result, companies have resorted to parallel imports and attempted to replace sophisticated components, such as hydrotreating catalysts, with domestic alternatives, significantly extending repair times from a matter of days to many months.

Financial consequences for Russia’s budget and businesses:

— Losses in the oil sector. The combined losses of oil refining companies have already exceeded 1 trillion rubles. This figure includes both direct physical damage and spending on private air defense systems.

— Declining state revenues. Unplanned refinery shutdowns have reduced budget revenues by 10–30%. According to official reports from Russia’s Ministry of Finance, income from oil and gas exports fell by more than 38% between January and April 2026 alone.

— Insurance market crisis. Insurance companies’ losses from claims related to “terrorism” and “sabotage” have increased by more than 100%. Compensation payments for a single attacked refinery now average hundreds of millions of rubles.

At the same time, transport logistics have experienced major disruptions. Because of security threats, civil aviation has been operating under constant strain. A large-scale drone attack on Moscow on June 18, 2026, led to 527 flight delays and cancellations in a single day. Diverting aircraft to alternate airports costs airlines an average of US$8,000 for every additional hour of flight time. In addition, airports in eight major cities in southern and central Russia—including Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh, and Rostov-on-Don—remain completely closed to civilian air traffic.

Fuel Crisis: Rationing and Expensive Alternatives

Disruptions at oil refineries have led to fuel shortages across Russia. By mid-June 2026, gas stations in 53 regions had introduced limits on the amount of petrol that could be sold to a single customer. The situation has been aggravated by panic buying, with motorists regularly forming kilometer-long queues to fill canisters and stockpile fuel.

The government has attempted to contain the crisis through strict administrative measures. The Federal Antimonopoly Service banned the resale of petrol by private individuals, while major online marketplaces began blocking listings offering fuel for sale. Ozon and Wildberries reject fuel product pages during moderation, while Avito removes listings that have already been published.

A complete ban on exports of Russian petroleum products has been in force since April 1, 2026, but even that has failed to ease the shortage. As a result, Moscow turned to emergency fuel imports from Belarus. During the first three weeks of May 2026 alone, Russian fuel retailers purchased 17.34 thousand tons of Belarusian petrol, 58 times more than during the same period a year earlier.

At the same time, the wholesale price of Belarusian fuel, primarily AI-92 gasoline, was 46% higher than that of its Russian equivalent. This has driven a sharp rise in prices at gas stations. On average, the price of AI-95 gasoline has increased by more than 6% since the beginning of the year. In several remote and border regions, including Primorye, Tula Oblast, Tyumen Oblast, Rostov Oblast, Dagestan, and Tyva, it has reached 100 rubles (approximately US$1.33) per liter.

Oil Rain: An Environmental Disaster in Russia’s Regions

In the spring and summer of 2026, residents of Tuapse, Perm, Ryazan, Rybinsk, as well as the Moscow suburbs of Balashikha and Lyubertsy, experienced oil rain. This phenomenon consists of black precipitation containing high concentrations of soot and petroleum byproducts released into the atmosphere during large, prolonged fires at oil depots and refineries. Environmental experts note that such chemical fallout can affect areas located 20 to 60 kilometers from the site of a fire.

Oil rain has a wide range of consequences:

— Health risks. Toxic soot and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons enter the lungs and bloodstream through the air. People with chronic illnesses and those who have previously suffered severe cases of COVID-19 are at the greatest risk. In pregnant women, the toxins may also negatively affect fetal development.

— Damage to agriculture. After the rainfall, land in Krasnodar Krai was covered with “an oily residue and black droplets.” Crops grown in open fields, including greens, berries, and fruit, are considered completely unsafe to eat in the affected areas.

— Harm to wildlife. Fish populations have suffered the greatest damage. A toxic film on bodies of water coincided with the spawning season, causing the mass death of newly hatched fish. Multiple cases of poisoning have also been reported among domestic and wild animals that lick toxic substances from their fur.

Humanitarian Consequences: Casualties and Internet Shutdowns

In addition to the economic damage, drone attacks have had serious humanitarian consequences. Since the start of the war, at least 1,198 civilians have been killed across 18 Russian regions, primarily in Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk oblasts. The destruction of residential property has reached enormous proportions: in the border regions alone, drones and artillery have destroyed around 35,000 houses and apartments.

In an attempt to disrupt drone navigation systems, Russian security agencies have begun routinely imposing localized internet and mobile network shutdowns.

Over the past year, beginning in May 2025, around 20,000 such shutdowns have been recorded across the regions. Experts estimate that the resulting economic losses amount to approximately 930 billion rubles.

At the same time, these shutdowns have proven largely ineffective against modern drones equipped with autonomous inertial navigation or satellite communications. Instead, internet blackouts disrupt local businesses, disable bank payment terminals, and interfere with the operation of emergency services.