Chapter 4: Fossil Fuels, a Burning Problem

As the war in Ukraine drags through its fifth year, Russia’s fortunes are beginning to sour. In recent months, the Ukrainian military has made its most significant gains since the summer of 2023. Kyiv’s weapons meanwhile are expanding their range, striking energy facilities deep into the heart of Russia while also pummeling the oil infrastructure in Moscow with strikes that subjected residents to days of “black rain.”

Caught in the middle of all this is Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko.