Ukraine used up to 300 Liutyi and Fire Point long-range drones in an operation against Russian energy infrastructure. This marks the largest drone swarm attack in the conflict to date.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed these unprecedented strikes in October 2025. This represents a major increase in Ukraine’s ability to carry out long-range attacks on important Russian fuel supply systems and production facilities over large distances.
Presidential Confirmation
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces used large groups of long-range drones, called Liutyi and Fire Point, for operations.
They deployed up to 300 drones in a single mission to target Russian energy facilities deep inside Russia. He shared this information during briefings in October 2025, where he explained how these drone campaigns effectively attacked important Russian infrastructure.
Immediate Impact
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s large drone strikes have cut Russia’s gasoline supply by “up to 20%.”
He made these remarks to international media in October 2025. Russia has increased its gasoline imports due to problems at its refineries, which have caused the largest domestic fuel shortage since the conflict began.
Import Dependencies
Russia has significantly boosted its fuel imports from Belarus and has relaxed import restrictions. The government is also taking steps to stabilize the market with tariff changes and other measures, as reported in early October 2025.
Ukrainian intelligence suggests that Russia may be depleting its strategic oil reserves to meet basic domestic needs. These emergency actions show the serious effect of targeted attacks on infrastructure on Russia’s energy security.
Refinery Targets
The Carnegie Endowment reported on October 2 that since August 2025, there have been 16 attacks on refineries in Russia. Notably, the Volgograd refinery was hit twice in August and twice in September.
The Novokuibyshev refinery suffered three attacks, while the Ryazan, Saratov, and Salavat refineries were each attacked twice. Although these attacks affect 38% of Russia’s total refining capacity, Russian newspaper Kommersant estimates the actual reduction in output is about 10%.
FP-1 Fire Point Specifications
The FP-1 drone has a warhead that weighs between 60 and 120 kg. It can fly up to 1,600 km and costs approximately $55,000 each, according to sources such as the Associated Press and Re-Russia analysis.
Ukraine produces around 3,000 FP-1 units per month, which is approximately 100 drones a day, as reported by Scroll.media, based on Associated Press information. The Economist stated on October 5 that about 60% of deep strikes on Russian targets are done using Ukrainian FP-1 drones.
AN-196 Liutyi Specifications
The AN-196 Liutyi drone costs about $200,000 each. It can carry 75 kg of high explosives and has a range of up to 1,000 km. The drone uses advanced navigation and follows the terrain.
Developed by the Ukrainian defense company Ukroboronprom, Business Insider reported in May 2024 that Liutyi drones were responsible for “behind 80% of strikes on Russian oil refineries,” establishing them as Ukraine’s primary precision strike weapon.
Extended Reach
Zelenskyy confirmed in October 2025 that “Ust-Luga and Primorsk are now within reach,” according to multiple Ukrainian media outlets, including Hromadske and United24 Media, referring to major Russian Baltic Sea port facilities that were previously considered safe from Ukrainian military operations.
This extended operational range demonstrates Ukraine’s rapidly growing capability to strike strategic targets across vast distances.
Fuel Crisis Signs
Russian gas stations are facing long queues as fuel shortages spread across the country, according to media reports.
The Moscow Times reported on October 1 that the Russian government has extended its ban on gasoline exports and introduced new restrictions on diesel shipments until the end of 2025. Some gas stations have even closed temporarily to avoid losses due to supply disruptions.
Industrial Production Scale
Ukraine produces around 100 FP-1 drones per day, each costing $55,000, according to the Associated Press, as reported by Scroll.media. The Economist reported on August 27, 2025, that Fire Point is making one Flamingo cruise missile per day, with plans to increase production to seven missiles daily by October.
This demonstrates a strong ability to produce at a large scale, enabling drone swarm attacks involving hundreds of drones that target critical locations.
Economic Warfare Results
Carnegie Endowment analysis indicates that sustained attacks have reduced Russian gasoline output by 10%, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant. Meanwhile, The Moscow Times reports that refinery outages have forced Russia to implement emergency market interventions, including tariff elimination and increased imports.
These coordinated drone campaigns create measurable economic pressure on Russia’s war economy.
U.S. Intelligence Support
Financial Times reported on October 12, 2025, that U.S. intelligence agencies provide comprehensive targeting assistance to Ukraine, including flight route planning, altitude guidance, and timing to help Ukrainian drones evade Russian air defenses.
Reuters confirmed the same day that a U.S. official stated Ukraine selects targets, while Washington provides intelligence on their vulnerabilities, with three sources telling the FT that the U.S. is involved in every stage of strike planning.
Strategic Doctrine Shift
“We significantly restricted Russia’s oil, and this significantly restricts the war,” Zelenskyy stated in September 2025, according to Associated Press and other international media reports.
Carnegie Endowment and other defense analysts assess these large-scale drone operations as representing a sustainable economic pressure strategy specifically designed to undermine Russia’s fundamental ability to fund military operations through systematic targeting of war economy infrastructure.
Operational Capabilities Proven
These operations indicate Ukraine’s growing capability to conduct large-scale coordinated strikes against strategic targets located over 1,000 kilometers inside Russian territory, according to analysis by The New York Times and other major outlets.
This fundamentally alters the conflict’s dynamics by proving Ukraine can successfully reach and inflict significant damage on previously untouchable Russian infrastructure.
War Economy Impact
A Carnegie Endowment analysis indicates that sustained Russian fuel infrastructure attacks are forcing Moscow to fundamentally restructure its energy supply chain network, as documented by The Moscow Times, which reports emergency import measures and tariff changes.
These systemic changes severely undermine Russia’s ability to sustain prolonged military operations by diverting critical resources from military activities toward maintaining basic economic functions, creating cumulative pressure on Russia’s overall war-making capacity, according to multiple defense and economic analysts.