Ukrainian Drone Strikes Russia’s Third Largest Refinery with Non-Critical Damage

A viral video surfacing on social media claimed that a Ukrainian drone hit Russia’s third largest oil refinery on Tuesday from about 1,300km from the front lines. According to an industry source cited by Reuters, the drone has struck about 155,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Though it had caused no critical damage.

As response to the attack, Russian officials said its jamming devices locked onto a Ukranian drone near Tatneft’s Taneco refinery, which has an annual production capacity of more than 17 million tons.

Images from the incident revealed that the drone struck the main refining unit, CDU-7, at the refinery located in Russia’s heavily industrialized Tatarstan region, yet it seemed to have inflicted no significant damage. An industry insider, speaking to Reuters anonymously, mentioned that the staff was returning to the plant. Although a fire erupted at the refinery, it was swiftly extinguished within 20 minutes, as reported by the state news agency RIA, which also noted that production remained uninterrupted.

The targeted unit represents approximately half of the plant’s total annual production capacity, while the refinery itself contributes about 6.2% to Russia’s refining capacity. Brent momentarily surged past $89 a barrel, marking its first rise since October, amidst worries about Ukrainian drone attacks and escalating tensions in the Middle East. According to a military intelligence source in Ukraine, the main Taneco refining unit was struck, resulting in a fire. The source stated that the objective of the attack was to diminish Russia’s oil revenue.

According to another source in Ukrainian intelligence, drones manufactured in Ukraine struck a Russian facility responsible for producing long-range “Shahed” attack drones, resulting in “considerable damage.”

RUSSIAN OIL REVENUE TARGETED

The Washington Post previously reported that Russia was ramping up drone production at a plant in Tatarstan. Ukraine has recently initiated attacks on Russian oil refineries, affecting Moscow’s significant trade in refined products, as Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter, continues extensive missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

According to calculations by Reuters, approximately 14% of Russia’s refining capacity has been disrupted by drone attacks, resulting in a higher demand for refined oil products compared to Russian crude. The targeting of Russian refineries, many of which are situated deep within the world’s largest country, has raised concerns in Washington about the potential for escalation with Russia.

Ukraine argues that its drone attacks on Russia are justified due to its fight for survival and the extensive damage inflicted on its infrastructure, including power plants, by Russian air strikes. With over 4,630 Russian long-range Shahed drones deployed during the 25-month-old war, Ukraine views its own drone production efforts as a means to counter a much better-equipped and larger adversary.

Since President Vladimir Putin sent Russian forces into Ukraine in 2022, drones have played a significant role in the conflict, serving either as “kamikaze” attackers or as surveillance tools guiding other weaponry to target soldiers or equipment. Ukraine has conducted several high-profile attacks deep inside Russia, aimed at undermining Russia’s military capabilities or, as demonstrated by a 2023 drone strike on the Kremlin, bringing the realities of war to Russia’s heartland.

A key ally of Putin recently asserted that NATO was effectively engaged in a conflict with Russia in Ukraine and alleged that the U.S.-led military alliance had facilitated strikes on sovereign Russian territory. When asked about U.S. involvement in the attacks on Russian refineries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov deferred the question to the defense ministry and security services, emphasizing the ongoing terrorist activity by the Kyiv regime. Peskov stated that Russia and its military were primarily focused on minimizing and subsequently eliminating this threat.

Ukrainian sources maintain that Kyiv alone is responsible for planning and executing drone attacks inside Russia, while the United States has consistently stated its opposition to such strikes. Tuesday’s attacks also impacted enterprises in Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk, resulting in injuries, according to Rustam Minnikhanov, the regional governor of Tatarstan. Reports from Russian media indicated that two drones struck a dormitory within the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, injuring at least seven people.