Ukrainian defense forces conducted a series of missile strikes against Russian military-industrial complexes and infrastructure in Russia and occupied territories [1].
These operations aim to degrade Russia's industrial capacity to produce weaponry and disrupt the logistics supporting occupation forces [1, 2, 3].
In May 2026, strikes targeted the Progress military-industrial complex in Cheboksary [4]. During the same month, a fire broke out at the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region [4]. Reports also indicated smoke at the Vtorovo pumping station in the Vladimir region [4].
Earlier in the spring, the Ukrainian General Staff reported strikes on March 23, 2026, targeting a Tor surface-to-air missile system, a radar, and drone warehouses [2]. These targets were located within both Russia and occupied territories [2].
"The defense forces hit Russian army control points in occupied Donetsk region on the night of May 16," the General Staff press service said [1].
Other strikes hit Sevastopol in Crimea and Tuapse [3, 4]. Following an attack in Tuapse, a fire erupted at an oil plant, which BBC Ukraine said created an ecological catastrophe [3].
While several targets were hit, some strikes did not reach their intended goals [1, 3]. The Ukrainian military continues to target high-value assets to complicate the movement of Russian troops and equipment [1, 2].
“The defense forces hit Russian army control points in occupied Donetsk region on the night of May 16”
The expansion of strikes into the Russian interior, specifically targeting oil refineries and the Progress industrial complex, signals a strategy to shift the cost of the war deeper into Russian territory. By damaging fuel infrastructure and weapon production sites, Ukraine intends to create systemic bottlenecks in the Russian military's supply chain and reduce the volume of hardware reaching the front lines.
