Summary
The article argues that Western media narratives about Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian oil refineries may be exaggerated, and that Russia's gasoline imports are a manageable nuisance rather than a sign of strategic vulnerability. The piece also warns that EU censorship of Russian state media is expanding to punish outlets that quote or paraphrase such sources, threatening independent analysis.
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•On June 18, Ukraine launched nearly 200 drones at Moscow, striking a major refinery; the Financial Times described the aftermath as 'apocalyptic.'
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•A pro-Russian blog (Simplicius's Garden of Knowledge) claimed the drones were stuffed with kerosene to create dramatic visual effects, akin to Hollywood stunt work.
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•Reuters reported Russia is importing ~400,000 tons of gasoline per month (≈115,000 bpd) from India and Belarus, allegedly due to Ukrainian attacks on refineries.
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•UN data shows Russia has a history of importing gasoline semi-regularly, partially validating the view that the imports are not unprecedented.
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•The EU Court of Justice ruled that even non-commercial republishing of content from banned Russian outlets (e.g., RT, Sputnik) is illegal, threatening independent analysts who quote such sources.
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•The author notes that platforms like Substack and YouTube may face pressure to remove content from pro-Russian commentators as their audiences grow.