Strike on US Facility in Ukraine Shows Russia’s Weak Position

A recent Russian drone attack on a US-owned agribusiness facility in Dnipro, Ukraine, has highlighted Moscow’s declining global influence.

Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, said the strike on Bunge’s plant was deliberate and part of a growing pattern of Russian attacks on American-linked businesses in Ukraine, The Caspian Post reports via Ukrainian media.

He compared it to earlier attacks on Azerbaijani firms, which triggered strong diplomatic responses, and noted the timing followed Russia’s inability to support Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, further exposing Kremlin weaknesses.

“Russia once again demonstrated its geopolitical weakness,” Kovalenko said, describing the Kremlin as a state lashing out despite diminishing power, dependent on raw materials exports to China.

The January 5 drone strike caused a fire at the facility and damaged nearby infrastructure. No casualties were reported, according to Vladyslav Haivanenko, acting head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration.

Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov said about 300 tons of oil spilled onto city roads, disrupting traffic for days. Emergency services used hundreds of tons of sand to prevent contamination of local rivers, with cleanup operations ongoing.