KYIV — Russian forces have launched a series of drone attacks targeting Ukrainian gas stations in recent months, marking a new and concerning dimension in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. Since early April, nearly 250 gas stations across Ukraine have been hit, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), prompting significant damage and casualties, and fueling widespread anxiety among civilians.

The campaign appears to be a retaliatory response to Ukraine’s intensified long-range strikes on Russian fuel refineries, which Kyiv says aim to disrupt revenue streams that support Moscow's military efforts. Russian state media and the Defense Ministry have publicly acknowledged these gas station attacks, claiming they are intended to hinder logistical support for Ukrainian forces. However, Ukrainian officials and analysts describe the strikes as primarily aimed at terrorizing the civilian population, as most gas stations targeted are independent retail outlets frequented by ordinary Ukrainians rather than military installations.

“These attacks have no significant impact on military fuel supplies,” said Serhii Beskrestnov, a former adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister. “The sole purpose is to instill fear among civilians.”

The strikes have caused physical destruction and loss of life. Since April, at least five people have been killed in various attacks on fuel stations in regions including Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Izium, and Dnipropetrovsk. The damage is visible along key transit corridors: many stations bear shrapnel marks, burn scars, or are reduced to rubble. Drivers report minimizing stops, avoiding amenities like restrooms or convenience stores, and filling fuel tanks in hurried, often tense circumstances. Employees have also adapted by taking breaks away from the stations and following formal protocols during air raid alerts, such as temporary closures and sheltering.

In response to the ongoing threat, some Ukrainian authorities have implemented measures to maintain fuel access and safety. For example, mobile fueling points have been established in heavily affected areas like Trostianets in the Sumy region, and some stations near the front lines have installed anti-drone protective netting. The WOG fuel chain, one of Ukraine’s leading operators, reported significant losses and introduced stricter safety guidelines including reducing operating hours, turning off external lighting at night, and halting fuel sales during air alarms.

Despite these disruptions, fuel shortages or price spikes similar to those seen in Russia after refinery strikes have not materialized in Ukraine, according to the Oil and Gas Association of Ukraine. Andrei Pivovarsky, chief executive of WOG, noted that unlike in Russia, Ukrainian stations generally remain open and customers are able to refuel, albeit quickly and cautiously.

Geographically, the attacks have concentrated along front-line regions in eastern and southern Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Odesa, but more distant locations have also experienced strikes. The attacks tend to occur in clusters over short periods, with multiple stations targeted within days or even hours.

While the Russian military portrays these drone strikes as tactical operations against key infrastructure supporting Ukrainian troops, independent observers emphasize the psychological toll on the civilian population and the disruption caused to a unique Ukrainian institution. Gas stations in Ukraine have traditionally served not only as fuel stops but as social hubs—places offering food, rest, and community in a country where civilian travel remains heavily constrained by the ongoing war.

The evolving pattern of attacks highlights a shift in the conflict’s dynamics, reflecting Kyiv’s growing offensive capabilities inside Russia and Moscow’s recalibrated response targeting civilian infrastructure within Ukraine. The widespread destruction of gas stations underscores the collateral impact of the war on everyday life and poses continued challenges for maintaining civilian resilience amid persistent hostilities.