GERMANY PERSPECTIVE

Berlin, June 18, 2026. German press followed hour by hour one of the most ambitious drone operations Ukraine has conducted since the war's beginning. In the night of June 17-18, several hundred unmanned aircraft targeted Russian territory in depth, with approximately 200 directed at Moscow alone. Tagesschau reports that Russian air defense intercepted roughly 555 drones across the entire country, and that Moscow's four major airports—including Sheremetyevo—were closed for several hours for security reasons.

The symbolic target of the assault was the Gazpromneft refinery, situated in southeastern Moscow, just fifteen kilometers from the Kremlin. According to DW German, the facility ranks among Russia's largest, with annual processing capacity of eleven million tons and supplies a substantial share of the capital's fuel. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin acknowledged on Telegram that "several drones successfully struck the oil refining facility," while independent news outlet Astra documented at least five fire sites within the refinery. Video footage on social media showed powerful explosions and thick columns of black smoke.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially claimed the operation, describing it as "long-range sanctions" and a "just response to relentless Russian strikes against Ukrainian cities and towns." Tagesschau noted additionally that the same night, Russian ballistic missiles again targeted Kyiv, and the city of Sumy in northeastern Ukraine suffered hits as well, underscoring the reciprocal nature of military exchanges.

Tagesschau highlighted telling silence: Putin, present in Kazan to receive foreign delegations, made no public statement about the attack. Russian state television mentioned the strikes only as the fifth story in its evening broadcast, describing them as "terrorist acts" targeting "civilian infrastructure." A stark contrast with the actual extent of damage.

DW German and Deutsche Welle's English service published in-depth analysis on the fuel crisis taking shape in Russia: disruptions reported across more than ten regions, with service stations imposing restrictions or halting sales. In annexed Crimea, premium fuel is available only with rationing vouchers, and standard gasoline is capped at twenty liters per purchase.

Handelsblatt reported the official position of the federal government: "Russia cannot win this war militarily. That becomes increasingly clear," a Berlin chancellery spokesman stated, adding that Berlin intends, with G7 partners, to exploit this dynamic to restart serious peace talks. The business journal also noted that Donald Trump is not ruling out reintroducing sanctions against Russia, and that the American exemption on Russian oil transported by sea expired at midnight.