Ukraine’s drone war across Russia cuts into oil revenues

As Russia's oil and gas exports rake in billions for the war effort, Ukraine's expanding drone program takes aim at strategic facilities. The post Ukraine’s drone war across Russia cuts into oil revenues appeared first on Euromaidan Press.

Feb 15, 2024 - 08:05

Ukraine’s drone war across Russia cuts into oil revenues

Article by: Oleksandr Shulman; translated and edited by Euromaidan Press

Ukraine’s long-range drone program is bringing results: large Russian oil industry facilities in the Russian Federation are under attack. UAVs are increasingly striking at enterprises that are critical for the Kremlin’s economy, causing millions of dollars in damage. The online media of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine ArmyInform analyzed the attacks on Russia’s raw material centers; we have translated key parts of the material.

Today, a significant percentage of money in the Russian budget comes from selling oil and petroleum products – according to various estimates, this figure ranges from 25-35%.

So, during the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian analysts write that Russian exports of Russian oil, petroleum products, and gas reached $383.7 billion, 43% more than in 2021, based on data from the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation. There is no more recent official data yet.

This is an absolute record for 27 years – since 1995. In general, according to estimates by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), since the start of the war, Russia has received €590 billion in revenues from the export of fossil fuels.

Today, there are about 30 large oil refineries and another 80 mini-refineries in Russia. The largest oil refineries in the Russian Federation are located in the cities of: Omsk, Kirishi (St. Petersburg), Ryazan, Kstovo (Nizhny Novgorod), Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Perm, Moscow, Tuapse.

Ukraine strikes Russian oil refineris — Map of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and terminals, based on Army Inform material

As recent news shows, unexpectedly for the Putin regime (and Russian air defense), many of these plants have found themselves within striking distance of UAVs.

Officially, none of the Ukrainian security forces have taken responsibility for these incidents. Confirmations of Ukrainian strikes deep into the enemy’s rear, published by Ukrainian media with references to their own unnamed sources, are also not commented on by either the leaders or spokespersons of the Defense Forces.

Mysterious drones

Strikes by unknown UAVs on infrastructure facilities, defense industry plants, and oil refineries are becoming more frequent.

On 18 January 2024, UAVs attacked the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal, and on 21 January, the technological capabilities of Novatek at the Ust-Luga port, where millions of tons of the “blood of war” – diesel fuel and aviation kerosene – were produced annually.

On 19 January, tanks at an oil depot in Klintsy, Bryansk Oblast, were hit. And on 25 January, an oil refinery near Tuapse was successfully attacked, where the UAV hit important equipment.

Footage reportedly captures the moment when a drone attack struck the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd, the largest oil refinery in Russia's Southern Federal District.

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