US intelligence has reportedly helped Ukraine’s long-range drones bypass Russian air defenses and strike deep inside Russia, contributing to a record wave of attacks on oil refineries that is prompting the Kremlin to suppress domestic coverage.According to the Financial Times (FT) analysis based on data from Poland’s Rochan Consulting, Ukrainian forces carried out a record 16 successful refinery strikes in May.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Since the start of 2026, Russian refineries have been hit at least 194 times, an 11-fold increase compared with the same period the year before.Unnamed senior Ukrainian officials told the FT that US intelligence has helped Kyiv identify optimal flight paths for its drones, allowing them to bypass Russian air defenses and reach targets deep inside Russia.The FT previously made similar claims in October 2025, citing unnamed US and Ukrainian officials.Analysts also credited Ukraine’s expanding domestic drone production and improved coordination for the campaign’s growing success.“Ukraine has had a technological breakthrough, which allowed them to produce more long-range drones and increase overall mass production,” Stefan Meister, head of the Eurasia program at the German Council on Foreign Relations, told the FT.Official Russian defense ministry figures cited by the FT claim that 63,933 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory during the first six months of 2026.