Russia’s fuel crisis is getting worse as Ukraine claims to have taken out nearly half of the country’s oil refining capacity through drone strikes. Ukrainian officials say their long-range drones have knocked out 51 percent of Russian refining capacity, cutting into the fuel supplies that keep the Russian economy and war machine running.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the pressure, admitting the fuel shortages are costing Russia about 1 percent of its GDP. Moscow and several regions are seeing petrol stations run dry and queues forming, while wholesale fuel prices have touched record highs.

The strikes are part of a deliberate Ukrainian strategy to hit Russia’s energy revenues and domestic fuel supply. Analysts at the Atlantic Council say the campaign is “disarming Russia’s energy weapon” by turning it back on Moscow. With more than 50 percent of refining capacity reportedly damaged, the Kremlin faces months of repair work and mounting public frustration ahead of winter.