Information on current Russian losses due to sanctions as of 23.07.2026.
1. Ukrainian drones attacked the LNG base in Novospaskoye and Voronezh: potential targets include the Wildberries logistics hub.
– On the night of July 23, our drones attacked several targets in Russia. In the village of Novospaskoye, Ulyanovsk region, the liquefied natural gas base LLC “NS-Oil” came under attack, resulting in a fire.
– Simultaneously, a massive drone attack targeted Voronezh. A series of explosions were heard in the city, and OSINT channels report that one of the potential targets might have been the Wildberries logistics hub.
2. Oil production in Russia continues to decline sharply due to extensive Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refining infrastructure.
– According to Rosstat, in June, the output of coke and oil products fell by 21.7% year-on-year, and for the first half of the year, by 7.7%. This is the deepest production drop since at least 2006.
– By comparison, the decline in April was 9.2%, and in May it was 13.5%, indicating further deterioration.
– The reduction in production led to an acute fuel shortage and a sharp rise in prices. Within a week, from July 14 to 20, gasoline in Russia increased by 1.7%, and diesel fuel by 1.9%. Since the beginning of the year, prices have risen by 18.3% and 20.2%, respectively.
– Due to the fuel shortage, Russia was forced to resort to importing gasoline and diesel fuel and introduced tax benefits for their import.
– Despite authorities’ claims of “partial stabilization” of the market, the shortage has already forced the government to limit fueling even military equipment.
– It is estimated that in June, Russia lost about 35% of its oil refining capacity. Specifically, the Ryazan refinery ceased exchange sales after numerous attacks since mid-May, and the Moscow refinery produces roughly half as much as last year.
3. Russian military had their equipment fueling limited due to the fuel shortage.
– The shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel caused by Ukrainian UAV strikes on Russian refineries has begun to directly affect the supply to the Russian army.
– According to Russian military officials, the command has reduced fuel supplies and imposed limits on refueling equipment. One serviceman noted that previously fuel was provided according to the needs of units, but now there is a restriction — no more than 20 liters per vehicle per day. Other military personnel report that supplies have been reduced by about 30%, and the shortage affects not only combat equipment but also transport delivering ammunition, food, and other cargoes.
– A soldier from the Zaporizhzhia direction mentioned that instead of the usual 20 liters, now only 10–15 liters of gasoline are brought to positions.
– Due to the fuel shortage, soldiers have to walk 11 km to deliver water, food, and other necessary resources. The fuel crisis in Russia is the result of large-scale attacks on the oil refining infrastructure.
4. Business in Russia is shrinking at a record pace: The number of new companies has dropped to a 17-year low.
– In 2026, Russia may set a record for the number of closed enterprises. Only 66.7 thousand new commercial companies were registered in the first half of the year — the lowest figure in 17 years. At the same time, 118.7 thousand enterprises ceased operations, almost twice the number of new registrations.
– Preliminary estimates suggest another 125–130 thousand enterprises may close in the second half of the year, and the total number of active companies may decrease from 2.5 million to 2.4–2.43 million by early 2027.
– Additional blows to small businesses were caused by fires at Wildberries warehouses, which, according to sources, could lead to the bankruptcy of hundreds of small businesses and individual entrepreneurs storing their goods there.
– There is also an increase in the number of voluntary business liquidations. Entrepreneurs are increasingly opting for a simplified procedure for closing companies to avoid accumulating debts due to falling demand, logistical problems, and rising tax burdens.
5. Russia has restricted night vessel movement in the port of Novorossiysk after drone attacks.
– Russia has introduced a temporary ban on vessel movement in the port of Novorossiysk from 00:00 to 05:00. The order was conveyed orally, without official documentation for shippers.
– Novorossiysk is Russia’s largest seaport in terms of cargo turnover, through which up to a third of Russia’s wheat exports pass, as well as significant volumes of oil, metals, and container cargoes. Beyond the night restrictions, the port continues to operate as usual.
– The new restrictions were introduced following similar measures in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, where vessel movements were previously restricted. Additionally, the Russian government prohibited vessel mooring in areas without air defense systems at the port of Azov and port of Caucasus.
6. Russia is losing access to South America’s “Lithium Triangle.”
– Russia is gradually losing its footing in one of the world’s key lithium extraction centers — the so-called “Lithium Triangle,” which includes Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile and contains about 54% of global reserves of this strategic metal.
– According to several sources, the subsidiary of “Rosatom,” Uranium One, lost a stake in the Argentine lithium project Tolillar, while the new government of Bolivia suspended an agreement with the Russian side regarding the construction of a lithium plant on the Uyuni salt flat.
– In Chile, Russian proposals for cooperation in lithium extraction have also not gained support.
– Lithium is critically important raw material for the production of electric vehicle batteries, energy storage systems, and defense technologies.
– Increasing international isolation and the curtailment of projects in Latin America limit Russia’s ability to access one of the most important resources of the global energy transition.
7. The EU has detained the fifth tanker this year linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
– The European Union is intensifying its fight against Russia’s “shadow fleet,” moving from sanctions to active actions at sea. On July 20, the naval forces of the operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI detained the oil tanker MV South Star for document inspection following suspicions of using a fake flag and violating international maritime law.
– The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated that every illegal transport helps finance Russia’s military machine, and the EU now “backs sanctions with actions at sea.”
– This is already the fifth tanker linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” detained this year by EU countries and the United Kingdom. Previously, French authorities detained the tankers Grinch, Deyna, and Tagor, and British marines in the English Channel detained the Smyrtos tanker, which was carrying about 100,000 tons of Urals oil.
– Additionally, this week EU countries expanded the powers of the naval mission EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, allowing it, like the IRINI mission, to inspect the flags of ships suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” This significantly strengthens control over maritime transportation of Russian oil and complicates the functioning of sanction bypass schemes.
8. EU ambassadors agreed on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.
– EU country ambassadors have reached a political agreement on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia. The new package includes additional financial restrictions, sanctions against companies associated with the “shadow fleet,” and a decision not to review the price cap on Russian oil temporarily.
– The package provides for a 12-month freeze of the current price cap on Russian oil to prevent Moscow from gaining additional revenue if global prices rise.
– Additionally, another 32 Russian banks, cryptocurrency companies, and platforms used for oil trading are subject to sanctions.
– At the same time, the EU agreed on an exception for Greece, allowing the transportation of Russian LNG to third countries under contracts signed before the full-scale war began in February 2022 for a year. The permit may be automatically extended, and transport volumes will be limited to the 2025 level.
– Furthermore, sanctions have been extended for the first time to ships assisting Russia’s “shadow fleet.” According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the new measures are aimed at further weakening the economic base of Russia’s military machine.
– Diplomats also reported that the ban on entry to the EU for former Russian military personnel has been postponed, although work on its implementation will continue.
– The technical arrangement of the package will be completed after the written procedure for its final approval.
9. TotalEnergies exits the Arctic LNG 2 project in Russia.
– The French energy company TotalEnergies is exiting the Russian Arctic LNG 2 project by transferring its 10% stake to the subsidiary of “Novatek” — Nordline. This was announced by the company’s CEO Patrick Pouyanné during the presentation of financial results for the second quarter.
– According to Pouyanné, the transfer of the stake has already been approved by the Russian authorities, and the completion of the deal is expected soon. He noted that after the imposition of US sanctions against Arctic LNG 2 in November 2023, “Novatek” approached TotalEnergies with a proposal to transfer the share package.
– The head of the company emphasized that the decision is in the interests of TotalEnergies. The company wrote off $4.1 billion of the project’s value in 2022 and declared force majeure regarding its participation in 2023.
– After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, TotalEnergies maintained participation in key Russian LNG projects; however, the strengthening of EU sanctions, which will ban the import of Russian LNG and related operations from 2027, forced the company to exit Arctic LNG 2.
– The exit of one of the largest Western investors further complicates the prospects for Arctic LNG 2, which is already under strict US sanctions and facing challenges with exports and servicing gas carriers.
