Kyiv, Sept. 24 -- On day 1,307 of the Russia Ukraine war, the battlefield's center of gravity again shifted far behind the front lines, where Ukrainian long-range drones set off fresh alarms across Russia's energy belt even as European fighter jets scrambled over the Baltic and world leaders in New York argued over how to finance Ukraine's defenses and reconstruction without detonating the global financial order.

The overnight strike that most clearly telegraphed Kyiv's intent hit the Gazprom-controlled Salavat petrochemical complex in Bashkortostan, one of Russia's largest refining and chemicals hubs. Regional authorities confirmed an attack and emergency response at the sprawling facility, underscoring how Ukraine's long-range campaign...