Lower Thirds: 

0:02	Report by  | Grzegorz Szymanowski
1:01	Alexander Novak | Russian Deputy Prime Minister
1:17	Igor Lipsits | Economist
1:50	Igor Lipsits | Economist

(( info: "You don’t have the cards,” Donald Trump famously told Volodymyr Zelenskiy during their Oval Office showdown in February as he dismissed Ukraine’s capabilities in the war against Russia.As the two leaders prepare to meet in the White House again, Ukraine’s military remains on the back foot — but it has shown it has at least one potent play to hit the enemy where it hurts: long-range drone strikes on Russia’s crucial energy industry.Last month, Zelenskiy described the attacks on the oil sector, which funds and fuels Moscow’s war effort, as “the sanctions that work the fastest”.))

Script: 

00:03 
Fireballs in the sky, deep inside Russia. Ukraine has launched at least 28 strikes on Russian oil refineries since August. 

This has caused fuel shortages in some Russian regions. 

Lines of cars formed in front of gas stations in Vladivostok in Russia’s far east... ...as well as in occupied Crimea, where the fuel supply is undependable. 

+++VOX 1 (female, Russian) 
You can refuel, but not at all gas stations. Some have gas, others don't. But in principle, you can plan your route so that you can tank up without any problems. 

+++VOX 2 (male, Russian) 
Prices have certainly risen. They held steady for a while, then suddenly spiked. But experience has shown that the most important thing is to have gasoline at all. +++ 

The government has tried to soothe motorists' fears. 

+++ SOT Alexander Novak, Russian Deputy Prime Minister (male, Russian)
The situation is absolutely under control.  (...) We are seeing some problems with supplies in some regions. The energy ministry and the regions are working together to solve these problems. +++ 

Russia has turned to importing fuel from Belarus and is working to repair the refineries. 

+++ SOT Igor Lipsits, Economist (male, Russian)
The price of fuel has risen by 12% per year, while the general inflation is officially at 8 percent. So fuel prices are rising faster than overall inflation. This, in turn, will also drive inflation. So it’s a serious problem, which is spreading to other sectors of the Russian economy. +++

Russia for its part is attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing power cuts across the country. 

Some experts are calling the situation an energy war. 

+++ SOT Igor Lipsits, Economist (male, Russian)
It's dramatic for sure. Both sides have turned out to be unprotected. As a result, both countries are destroying their economies. And this could push both of them into deep misery for a long time. +++

For now, Ukraine is doubling down on developing long-range drones... 

...to inflict even more damage on Russian oil infrastructure far behind the front lines. 

2:16 ENDE