Ukraine Ramps Up Attacks on Russia’s Energy Sector
In a bold move, Ukraine has launched a series of intensified attacks on Russia’s energy sector in recent weeks, dealing a heavy blow to the primary source of financing for Moscow’s military operations.
Reports indicate that Kyiv’s targeted strikes on 10 Russian oil refineries have disrupted a significant 17% of Russia’s overall refining capacity, equivalent to 1.1 million barrels per day.
The focus of Ukraine’s campaign has been on refineries, oil depots, and military-industrial sites, effectively hampering Moscow’s ability to process and export oil. The strategic attacks have caused shortages in several Russian regions, including the annexed Crimea.
Over the weekend, Kyiv took aim at a gas terminal in the Leningrad region and an oil refinery in Samara, further escalating tensions.
A source within Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) revealed to The Kyiv Independent that the SBU was responsible for the strike on the liquefied natural gas terminal, disrupting Russia’s oil and gas trade operations.
Additionally, Ukraine’s General Staff of Armed Forces confirmed that Military Intelligence (HUR) and other defense agencies orchestrated the strike on the Syzran oil refinery in Samara, a crucial facility supplying petroleum to Russian troops.
The recent attacks also targeted the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd, as well as refineries in the Saratov and Rostov regions, coinciding with Russia’s peak demand for gasoline among tourists and farmers.
Russia had already imposed restrictions on gasoline exports in July due to rising domestic demand, exacerbating shortages in occupied regions of Ukraine, southern Russia, and the Far East.
Long queues at petrol stations and the implementation of a coupon system indicate the severity of the gasoline shortage, with reports suggesting that fuel is increasingly being rationed to organizations and businesses in Russia.
