Ukraine stages audacious new long-range strikes in huge blow to Putin

 Ukraine has launched bold long-range strikes on Vladimir Putin's oil export capabilities. For the second time in three days, a crucial Baltic oil seaport was set aflame - this time Ust-Luga, following an earlier attack that devastated Primorsk. Another multi-purpose port, Vyborg, was also targeted, with at least one hit during the drone assault.

These Ukrainian strikes significantly impact Putin's ability to conduct oil and other exports, especially as sanctions are being eased due to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz amidst the Iran conflict.

Primorsk and Ust-Luga serve as the two main oil export outlets in western Russia. Both ports are utilized by Putin's infamous sanctions-evading shadow fleet and are crucial for generating petrodollars to finance his war in Ukraine.

However, these attacks coincide with unverified claims in Russia that a massive drone-and-missile attack on Ukraine on Tuesday resulted in significant casualties, potentially including "foreign military advisors". Russian military channel Voennaya Khronika reported that three 'medical aircraft' flew from Ukraine to Poland in what appeared to be a 'covert evacuation'.

This alleged evacuation followed Russian strikes on various locations in Ukraine, including Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, and Lviv. The channel also reported that the targets included offices of the Security Service of Ukraine [SBU].

Voennaya Khronika suggested this was believed to be a retaliatory attack following Ukraine's deployment of British Storm Shadow missiles on Russian soil in Bryansk, where a critical microelectronics facility supplying missiles was destroyed earlier this month.

The channel connected purported strikes and "medical evacuation flights" to a stern warning issued by Russian ambassador to London Andrey Kelin.

Addressing Britain "with its great-power ambitions", he warned: "Any action has consequences. And for everyone involved in the tragedy in Bryansk, the consequences will be dire."

The extensive Russian assaults on Ukraine twice prompted NATO to scramble warplanes in Poland on Tuesday, with Romanian fighters also deployed earlier.

The most recent Ukrainian attack on the Baltic allegedly targeted the NOVATEK-Ust-Luga facility, which processes stable gas condensate, a by-product of natural gas and oil extraction. The plant also exports oil products to international markets.

Rossiya 24 media reported today's attack was "one of the most massive on the Leningrad region", with 56 drones intercepted and significant disruption at St Petersburg's Pulkovo international airport.

In Vyborg, a Project 23550 patrol icebreaker called Dzerzhinsky was listing in the harbor after sustaining damage.

Port structures were also engulfed in flames near an FSB security service office. Ukraine additionally targeted energy infrastructure in Russian region Belgorad. Kyiv's leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, acknowledged that whilst over 500 drones were shot down on Tuesday, there were casualties.

He condemned Putin for his assault on the historic center of Lviv city using Iranian-designed Shahed drones. "Unfortunately, there are casualties. My condolences to the families and loved ones.

As of now, more than 40 victims are known, including five children," he stated regarding the Tuesday attacks, without mentioning any medical evacuation flights.

He reported that Putin had targeted the 17th-century St. Andrew's Church in Lviv. "This is an absolute perversion, and only someone like Putin could find this acceptable. "In Ivano-Frankivsk, a maternity hospital was damaged. The scale of this attack clearly shows that Russia has no intention of actually ending this war."

Zelensky also accused Russia of "helping the Iranian regime to launch attacks" in the Middle East.

He seemed to imply potential counterattacks on Moscow to compel Putin to reconsider. "Without additional and strong pressure on Russia, without significant Russian losses there, in Moscow, there will be no desire to withdraw from the war and somehow get used to peace again."