Ukraine ramps up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries to destabilize economy and military operations
In a string of drone attacks targeting Russia's oil refining industry, Kyiv aims to destabilize Russia's economy and halt its military operations.
Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has spent the last year and a half preparing to deliver a crippling economic blow to its adversary, seeking to stall its military machinery. From the end of 2023 into 2024, Ukrainian strikes have increasingly targeted Russia’s refineries and oil and petroleum product storage facilities, with attack intensity escalating. According to the German publication Welt, the effectiveness of these attacks stems from rapid technological advancements within Ukraine's defense sector. It takes less than 48 hours for drones with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers to target Russian oil-processing sites.
Attacks on Russian refineries are occurring almost daily, aiming to cripple the Russian economy, which has pivoted to military production, with its oil sector fueling the invasion engine. Ukrainian drones have reportedly struck around 80 such facilities. In December 2024 alone, five refineries were hit, including one of the largest in the Ryazan region. Other affected areas include the Krasnodar Territory, as well as the Rostov, Belgorod, Oryol, and Volgograd regions.
These strikes have led to numerous fires, halting operations at these plants. Prior to the invasion, Moscow had invested heavily in modernizing its refining capabilities and storage facilities for refined oil products, reliant upon by the military. Export revenues also bolster the Russian treasury to fund the war against Ukraine. Understanding the strategic importance of this industry, Kyiv continues its systematic destruction to improve its negotiation stance, while the Kremlin appears unable to counter these tactics effectively.
On February 5, Ukrainian drones attacked a refinery in the Krasnodar Territory's Novominskaya stanitsa in Russia. On February 3, drones hit "Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka" in Volgograd for a second time. The same day, a strike on the Astrakhan gas processing plant damaged three installations.