Edition No232 | 25-08-2025 - Russia's oil and gas industry, once a source of economic strength, an extraordinary economic and geopolitical weapons, has become a vulnerable spot, a real Achilles heel for the Russian economy, and for Putin’s war machine. Russia has a strategic problem: the main processing capacities are concentrated in the Western part of the country, while fuel consumption is rising in the Far East. Fuel logistics span thousands of kilometres, and now Kilometre-long queues in Primorye are forming of consumers and businesses needing to purchase fuel. Large refineries – from Kirishi to Volgograd – are within reach of Ukrainian drones. Fuel trains are being filmed, set alight by Ukrainian drones, such as the 'derailed' Russian fuel train in Zaporizhzhia. Local media reported that Ukrainian drones struck a Russian fuel train in the Donetsk region, causing nine of the train cars to catch on fire. The drone footage was stunning and compulsive viewing. The Flamingo missile threatens facilities previously considered out of reach. Putin has a problem. His elite are getting worried – and this concern is being mirrored in the US, nominally an ally of Ukraine, but the anger and anxiety of Trump are telling – many in the US administration don’t want to see Russia defeated. In that position, China and the US are aligned on outcomes. It’s grotesque, immoral, hypercritical, but all evidence points towards this inconvenient truth. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------SOURCES: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putin-is-facing-a-fuel-crisis-as-ukraine-escalates-attacks-on-russian-refineries/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/22/ukraine-attacks-pipeline-that-sends-russian-oil-to-hungary-and-slovakiahttps://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-ukraine-viktor-orban-russia-oil-pipleline-drone/https://kyivindependent.com/drone-strikes-spark-fire-at-russian-gas-terminal-and-oil-refinery-media-reports/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4029060-ukraine-strikes-syzran-oil-refinery-in-russia-general-staff-confirms.htmlhttps://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/8/22/behind-indias-massive-russian-oil-imports-asias-richest-manhttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-prices-edge-up-traders-weigh-supply-risks-2025-08-25/https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/business/china-secures-russian-oil-orders-intl-hnkhttps://www.reuters.com/business/energy/parts-russia-face-gasoline-shortages-after-ukraine-struck-refineries-2025-08-21/----------TRUCK FUNDRAISER - GET A SILICON CURTAIN NAFO PATCH:Together with our friends at LIFT99 Kyiv Hub (the NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade), we are teaming up to provide 2nd Battalion of 5th SAB with a pickup truck that they need for their missions. With your donation, you're not just sending a truck — you’re standing with Ukraine.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-communityWhy NAFO Trucks Matter: Ukrainian soldiers know the immense value of our NAFO trucks and buses. These vehicles are carefully selected, produced between 2010 and 2017, ensuring reliability for harsh frontline terrain. Each truck is capable of driving at least 20,000 km (12,500 miles) without major technical issues, making them a lifeline for soldiers in combat zones.https://www.help99.co/patches/nafo-silicon-curtain-community----------