KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 7 -- In less than a year, Ukraine's drone campaign has turned Russia's oil empire inward. Once a symbol of industrial invincibility, the world's third-largest refining system now staggers under attrition - more than half of Russia's 38 refineries have been hit, and analysts estimate that up to 12 per cent of total refining capacity has been knocked offline at various points. The Kremlin's response was drastic - a six-month ban on gasoline exports to quell domestic shortages, sacrificing billions in revenue for political calm.

It was the unthinkable made real - an oil superpower suddenly fuel-poor. Each repair exposed new weaknesses; each government decree deepened dependence. What began as tactical warfare against infr...