Strikes on Tuapse and Perm: Kremlin Replaces Commander Following Losses in Oil Sector

Russian President Vladimir Putin has replaced the commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces following a series of losses caused by drone attacks on critical infrastructure.

Instead of General Viktor Afzalov, who had led the Aerospace Forces since 2023, the Russian president appointed Colonel General Alexandr Chayko, according to the Russian publication The Moscow Times, citing a source familiar with the situation.

The 54-year-old Chayko previously commanded Russian forces in Syria and has headed the Eastern Military District since 2021.

According to the European Union, Chayko is implicated in the events in Bucha, where his units are suspected of mass killings of civilians.

On March 16, 2026, the European Union imposed personal sanctions against him along with a number of other Russian military officials.

The decision to change the command of the Russian Aerospace Forces, which are responsible in particular for air defense and missile defense, was made after the failure to repel massive drone attacks.

In late March, drone strikes hit key Russian oil ports on the Baltic Sea, leading to a temporary halt in exports.

In April, drones attacked Russian oil refining facilities more than 20 times—at least nine refineries were hit, and five of them halted production.

The port and refinery in Tuapse were struck four times: tens of thousands of tons of petroleum products were burned, and fuel oil leaks and water pollution were reported.

On April 30, attacks were repeated in Perm, where Transneft’s storage tanks and the Permnefteorgsintez oil refinery—one of the largest in Russia—were hit.

Militarnyi also recently reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces likely struck an air defense complex during the attack on Tuapse.