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Overnight, Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russian territory, likely hitting the Nikolskoe station in Tambov region. This is the latest in a wave of attacks crippling Russia’s energy infrastructure. The assault, some 340 km from Ukraine’s border, confirms the ongoing Kyiv’s effort to undermine Russia’s oil exports, a critical pillar of its war economy. The Nikolskoe facility is one of the hubs along the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies crude oil to Europe. This follows an August 13 attack on the Unecha pumping station in Bryansk Oblast—another critical node in the same pipeline—which temporarily halted oil deliveries to Hungary and drew sharp condemnation from Budapest.
As Ukraine intensifies its drone offensive, having targeted about a dozen refineries and sparking fuel shortages across Russia, Moscow’s unusually restrained response suggests a strategic gamble. Moscow is absorbing the blows to keep diplomatic channels open, even as its energy sector suffers.
According to the fire monitoring sources, on the night of August 18th, Ukrainian drones struck the Nikolskoe station in Russia’s Tambov region, located 340 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The facility is linked to the Druzhba pipeline. This is a linear production and dispatch station, a management body, that coordinates the operation of several oil depots at once.
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At the same time, Budapest has sharply condemned Ukrainian strikes on infrastructure of the Druzhba pipeline, with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó calling the latest attack an “unacceptable assault” on his country’s energy security. “This is yet another outrageous attempt to undermine Hungary’s stability,” Szijjártó stated, adding that the suspension of Russian oil flows through Druzhba forced Hungary to seek alternative supplies.
The minister accused Kyiv and Brussels of deliberately targeting energy links to Hungary in an effort to drag the country into the conflict. “This is not our war,” Szijjártó emphasized, while reminding Ukraine that Hungarian electricity remains crucial for Ukrainian consumers. The diplomatic spat comes as Budapest explores alternative energy routes, including a potential oil pipeline to Serbia in cooperation with Russia.
Hungarian officials did not clarify what was the target of Ukrainian UAVs, but open sources allow to identify that the attack in question was fire at the the Nikolskoe station. Last week, the Hungarian Foreign Minister also criticized the actions of the Ukrainian military, saying that they had attacked an object on the Druzhba oil pipeline in the Bryansk region. On August 13, an oil depot in Unech, which is part of the Druzhba oil pipeline, was hit. As a result, oil supplies via the pipeline to Hungary were stopped.
Since early August, Ukraine has intensified drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, targeting about a dozen facilities and disrupting operations of at least three large oil refineries. The targets included:
- Kstovo (Nizhny Novgorod): Attacked on August 17.
- Syzran (Rosneft): Hit on August 15.
- Oil depot in Unech (Druzhba pipeline): attacked on August 13.
- Volgograd Refinery (Lukoil): One of Russia’s top 10 refineries, forced to halt operations after August 13–14 strikes.
- Saratov Refinery (Rosneft): Shut down since August 10.
- Afipsky & Slavyansk Refineries: Fires reported after August 7 and 9 strikes.
- Adler Oil Depot: Struck on August 3.
- Novokuibyshev Refinery: Shut down on August 2.
- Ryazansky Refinery (Rosneft): partly suspended operation after attack on August 2.
The disruptions have triggered some fuel shortages across Russia, with reports of rationing in Crimea, Krasnoyarsk, and Zabaykalsky Krai.
Despite the economic impact, the Kremlin has avoided large-scale retaliation, limiting its strikes to military and industrial targets in Ukraine. The sole exception has been attacks on Azerbaijani-owned energy infrastructure in Ukraine—a response to Baku’s perceived support for Kyiv. LINK
Russia’s restraint may signal an attempt to preserve diplomatic channels, particularly with the U.S., as both sides weigh potential negotiations. Yet, with Ukraine’s drone campaign intensifying, Moscow’s patience could soon reach its limit, raising the specter of a broader energy war with global repercussions.
Amid the prospects of peace, the puppet Kyiv is ordered to inflict maximum damage to Russian il export infrastructure to please Western patrons, who seek to prevent the resumption of Russian oil supplies.
it’s a good thing russian intelligence and military forces were able to locate and obliterate those sapsan ballistic missiles ; with their 500 km range and 1,000 lb warhead, imagine the damage they could have caused to russian oil infrastructure.
more like 750 km maximum range.
not anymore ehehehe.
lets go occidental european elite girls, boys and monhés, good ride to hell.
they can do whatever they want. putin rather do whatever it takes to please the jewsa
don’t worry, we are going to hang the hiper rich zionists as a good and final wonderful solution.
by the way, the lifeline is to hungary, a country (population) descending from attila. lets go hungary huns!
false–the best evidence is that hungarians come from siberia
artic’s siberia?
“moscow’s unusually restrained response suggests a strategic gamble. moscow is absorbing the blows to keep diplomatic channels open, even as its energy sector suffers.” no, that’s not a response. that’s plain stupid. plus, a dipomatic channel with chumpo is like attending the circus.
so that’s a supid news of a stupid observer.
and russian response will be…. zzzzzzzzzzz
in my feminine americunt dystopia we all require psyche meds taliban therapists and transgender surgeries
go fight boy, againt all yours dystopias.
in amerika hillybilly use motor oil to penetrate my anuz
you should use castor oil instead, it’s also good for your prostate problems asswell.
russia and iran together have already won these oil wars… but just remember that the insanity of the west is an all or nothing proposition. russia will more than likely be forced to use their sarmat(s) and bulava(s) as the western retard feels it can never l0$e!… ps did we ever think we would watch the final act of our world giving $trillion(s) to a mentally challenged coke snorting retired comedian as the cut out for the western banking establishment’s “end”?!!!
after kiev it is budapest who is the capital over moscow, moscow must lay down all weapons now in front of orban. vladolf is the unruly mental patient running amok in the hospital.
trump knows the hiden agendas of this war created by usa/nato therefore trump should cancel all militry aid and force partners.or else liviv and kiev should be level and odesa taken over then war ends no more talks.
putin are scared of serious military action consequences which can end this war right away while trump negotiates with this two face ukraine war pushes.lock down and shut off zelenski nest in ukraine and arrest him.
trump is playing innocent game while knowing the usa/france,britain,germany and italy game plan of this war which his country finance.even in his first term he never pay attention until he loses election.this expensive useless meeting are time waisters and need to be stop with acknowledgement rather then blaming.
that oil sabotage is the one of real purpose of ukraine war. russia has no reason what so ever to talk to trump or puppets.let trump and europeans solve their created problem by stopping arming and sending mercenaries.by creating dialogue their want to brainwash the world that their are not at fault.
today their talking about killing of ukrainians instead of saying let us stop instigating because our troops are dying in ukraine.if you compare the killing of civilians zelenski directly kills russians in donbas and other regions as well as forcing untrained civilians of ukraine to go and die on battle field while he fly and lies around.eating and having nice dinners.coach to lie and encourage to ask for weapons by eu.
can southfront not get it into its head that it’s nato that is attacking russia. not ukraine.