Ukraine Targets Russia's Economic Lifelines: What Happened in the August 13–14 Strikes

Refinery Strikes: Orsk and Salavat

Two major refineries were targeted in the same 48-hour window:

• Orsk refinery (Orsknefteorgsintez, Orenburg Oblast): Ukraine struck this facility on August 11, about 1,500 km from the front line . The refinery completely halted oil refining after the attack damaged processing equipment . Two industry sources confirmed it ceased processing and remained offline as of August 12 . Local reports indicated repairs could take up to six months

• Salavat refinery (Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat, Bashkortostan): Drones attacked this major Gazprom facility on the night of August 13, triggering a fire . Located about 1,300 km east of the Ukrainian border, this was the second strike on the plant in a month . The extent of operational disruption was still being assessed as of Friday .

Wildberries Warehouse Campaign: Billions in Damage

Ukraine has been systematically targeting warehouses of Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, since July 18, 2026 . The campaign has struck at least nine facilities across multiple regions — from southern Russia to the outskirts of St. Petersburg and as far east as Yekaterinburg, over 2,000 km from Ukraine .

• Estimated losses: Margarita Yevstigneyeva, head of Russia's Association of Suppliers for E-Commerce Platforms, estimated total losses at RUB 600–800 billion (~$6–$8.5 billion) . Nearly 100,000 small merchants have been affected .
• Scale of damage: Data Insight analysts reported that roughly 1.2–1.5 million square meters of warehouse space — about one-third of Wildberries' total logistics footprint — had been hit or destroyed as of early August .
• The campaign is designed to disrupt Russia's domestic e-commerce supply chain and target a company with reported Kremlin ties .

Civilian Toll: Russian Strikes on Sumy

A Russian drone strike on a home in Sumy on Friday killed a 29-year-old woman and her nine-year-old son, according to Ukrainian officials . Four others were wounded, including the boy's father and grandmother, who were hospitalized with severe burns . This was part of a broader pattern of intensified Russian strikes on civilian areas in the Sumy region throughout August .

Broader Context: July's Deadliest Month

The UN reported that July 2026 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since March 2022, with 437 civilians killed and 2,610 wounded . The sharp rise was attributed to Russia's intensified use of long-range drones, guided aerial bombs, and missile strikes against urban centers and civilian infrastructure .

Regional Ripple Effects

The broader escalation has triggered security responses across the Baltic region. Russia's Defense Ministry reported intercepting 553 Ukrainian drones across Russia and annexed Crimea between Thursday night and Friday morning alone . Latvia has reported shooting down a Russian Shahed-type drone that entered its airspace during recent deep-strike waves, and Finland has moved to restrict parts of the Baltic Sea to Russian shipping, tightening maritime security in response to heightened drone and naval tensions. These measures reflect growing Baltic states' concerns that Russia's war — and Ukraine's deep-strike counter-campaign — are increasingly affecting regional maritime and airspace security.