Zelensky Humiliates Putin, Double Tapping Him Where It Hurts

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A meme was born when Ukraine knocked the lid off the major Moscow oil refinery today. Photo: Ukraine Defense Ministry

Ukrainian drones were able to penetrate Russian air-defense networks again this morning and strike Moscow’s major oil refinery for the second time this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quick to take a victory lap, posting on Telegram, “Our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region.”

This despite President Vladimir Putin’s assurances to the Russian people that he would strengthen the country’s air-defense system.

It was a repeat performance of Ukraine’s multiple drone strikes on the St. Petersburg oil terminal and the Kronstadt naval base at the onset and conclusion this month of the 2026 Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia’s version of Davos.

A double tap. In mafia speak, a controlled pair.

This time in spectacular fashion, as video captured the lid off an oil tank being projected hundreds of meters into the sky. The strikes left Moscow residents to endure plumes of black smoke towering over the Moscow skyline, power outages, internet and cellphone disruptions, fuel shortages, flight delays, and more.

And not only was the strike symbolic — hitting targets in the capital — it was a continuation of Kyiv’s strategy to deny Russia revenue sources to continue funding its war against Ukraine: oil.

The Moscow refinery is a key facility in Russia’s oil industry, with a processing capacity of up to 11 million tons of oil per year. The plant supplies up to 40 percent of Moscow’s gasoline needs and about 50 percent of its diesel fuel.

Mr. Zelensky has brought the war to the front doorsteps of St. Petersburg and Moscow — no sanctuary is afforded in Russia. This is not exactly the “winning” Mr. Putin has sold Russian citizens on for the past four years.

In the balance: The last couple weeks have been pretty bad for the Russian dictator, his generals at the Kremlin, and his soldiers trying to evade the onslaught of Ukrainian drones on the battlefield.

After the second strike on the Moscow oil terminal — Tuesday’s was the first — Mr. Zelensky posted on X, “The Moscow region felt the reach of Ukraine’s long-range capabilities.” A capability the Kremlin has not been able to counter.

Mr. Putin’s inability to defend his hometown of St. Petersburg and the capital city of Moscow from Ukrainian drones could turn public opinion against him. In terms of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, safety and security have been lost. So too has trust and confidence in the government’s ability to defend them.

And as Mr. Zelensky warned in his open letter to Mr. Putin, “When Russia grows tired, change comes.” Doing without power, gas, internet, and cellphones may bring change.

Decision point: Mr. Zelensky has chosen to fight fire with fire, telling Mr. Putin, “If Ukraine is burning, your Moscow will burn too. We do NOT want this war and NEVER wanted it, and everyone knows that. We certainly do NOT want Ukraine to burn because of the enemy. But if Ukraine is burning, your Moscow will burn as well. So let me stress once again: the time has come to end this aggression, the time has come to end this war.”

The Russian Federation “is taking on water. Like the Titanic, it has struck an immovable object — in this case Ukraine — and it is sinking fast.” It is in Mr. Putin’s best interest to come to the negotiating table, drop his maximalist demands, withdraw his ground forces from Ukraine, and restore the border to its pre-2014-invasion status.

But that is not likely.