'Drone sanctions' inflict noticeable losses on Russia but don't halt war financing – expert

Ukraine's sustained strikes on Russia's economic infrastructure are already causing significant damage, but have not yet undermined Moscow's ability to finance the war.

Vadym Denysenko, head of the Dilova Stolytsia analytical center, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

According to him, the losses primarily stem from attacks on ports, oil terminals, and other critical infrastructure.

"These losses are already tangible, although they are still difficult to quantify precisely," the expert said.

He specified that at certain periods Russia has lost up to 15-20% of its export capacity, leading to substantial shortfalls in foreign currency revenues.

"Does this threaten the financing of the war? Probably not. But it does complicate budget revenues at specific moments in time," Denysenko said.

The expert stressed that the key factor in the effectiveness of such strikes is their consistency and duration.

"If Ukraine can systematically and persistently strike these facilities, the effect will be cumulative. Even now, these are very painful blows – both to the stability of Russia's oil market and to the macro-financial situation in general," he said.

At the same time, he stressed that sustained pressure remains decisive.

"The question is how often and for how long Ukraine can continue striking critical infrastructure, particularly ports," Denysenko concluded.

As reported, Russia's air defenses face serious challenges in protecting infrastructure from Ukrainian long-range strikes due to limited capabilities and the vast scale of potential targets.