Well, well, well. If it isn't the sound of a Russian oil refinery going up in a rather dramatic, late-night blaze. Reports are coming in thick and fast that a Ukrainian drone, presumably with a GPS and a sense of humour, has paid a visit to a facility just outside Moscow. The Kremlin is now officially in the 'not amused' category. I can almost hear the clatter of teacups in the Duma as they try to explain to their oligarchs why their precious petro-roubles are going up in smoke.
Now, before we get a collective outbreak of hand-wringing about 'escalation' and 'dangerous precedents', let's have a moment of clarity. Russia has been bombing Ukrainian power grids, hospitals, and residential blocks with the enthusiasm of a child with a new box of matches. Ukraine, in a stunning display of military restraint, has now decided to return the favour. And guess what? They are perfectly within their rights to do so.
Article 51 of the UN Charter, that dusty old tome that everyone pretends to respect, explicitly allows for self-defence. If Russia thinks it can rain hell on Kyiv and then complain when a few drones find their way to a refinery that funds the war machine, they need a serious lesson in the geometry of irony. This isn't an 'escalation'. This is a gentle, albeit fiery, reminder that what goes around comes around.
But let's talk about the UK's position. His Majesty's Government, for once, has managed to string together a coherent sentence of support. 'UK stands with Ukraine’s right to self-defence,' they say. Quite right. Finally, a policy I can get behind without needing a whisky chaser. No more of this 'we must avoid provoking the bear' nonsense. The bear has been provoked since February 2022. It's time the bear realised that its own forests are not immune to the consequences of its aggression.
Of course, the usual suspects will be out in force: 'This will only escalate tensions!' they wail, as if Ukraine should be grateful for the privilege of being bombed in return for not bombing back. This is the logic of a doormat. Ukraine is not a doormat. Ukraine is a sovereign nation with a military that has repeatedly embarrassed the 'second greatest army in the world'. And now they've proven they can reach Moscow. That's not escalation. That's geography.
I'll leave you with this thought: The smell of burning oil is a distinct one. It's a mix of sulphur, money, and hubris. For a few hours, the Moscow elite will get to experience what the people of Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Bucha have smelled for years. Justice, they say, is a dish best served cold. But in this case, it appears to be served flaming hot with a side of drone. Cheers, Ukraine. Don't stop.
