Home · Business · Oct 8 archive
Ukraine Strikes Russian Refineries Amid Fuel Crisis
Confirmed
In Short: The accounts agree that Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries have significantly disrupted global diesel supplies and intensified a fuel crisis, with Russia's refining capacity severely impacted.
Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian refineries, causing a significant disruption in global diesel supplies. According to Al Jazeera, Russia's daily diesel output has dropped to about 150,000 barrels, an 81% decrease from its five-year average due to both export restrictions and damage from Ukrainian attacks.
The Defense Ministry reported that recent strikes on refineries in Moscow and Yaroslavl have put 51% of Russia’s refining capacity out of action, highlighting the extent of the damage.
Ukrainian forces have targeted refineries across Russia, from Moscow to Siberia, with some facilities hit as many as 15 times since the war began in February 2022. This relentless assault has forced Russian authorities to restrict gasoline sales in response to the fuel crisis.
President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to halt its attacks on Russian refineries, blaming the strikes for exacerbating a global diesel shortage. Trump stated, “Russia has unfortunately lost control of its Diesel Oil Industry due to its War with Ukraine,” on Truth Social.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has faced pressure from Trump to stop military operations targeting Russian oil refineries. A senior Ukrainian official reported that Trump pressed Zelenskyy to suspend these operations, citing the global diesel market and rising fuel prices.
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the impact of these strikes, stating, “Fifty-one percent of struck refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy’s economy, to its ability to carry out aggression and supply its troop groupings. Our deep strikes continue to bring the war to Russian territory.”
The conflict has also drawn international attention, with some experts attributing the rise in diesel prices to US military actions in the Middle East rather than the current conflict. Beauchamp from Al Jazeera noted that US military action in the region “threatens to tip the world economy into recession.”
Despite the global impact, Ukrainian officials maintain that these strikes are necessary to disrupt Russia's supply lines and weaken its economy. Presidential adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said on social media that 12 automated turrets had been installed in Kyiv to counter Russian drones, with more planned.
The ongoing attacks have led to a cycle of damage and emergency repairs that could degrade Russian refineries long-term, according to the International Energy Agency.
In addition to the fuel crisis, the attacks have also disrupted Russia's ability to supply other critical resources, such as urea and liquefied natural gas, which India has imported to maintain domestic fertilizer production.
The attacks have intensified a global fuel crisis that began with the US and Israel's strikes on Iran in February, which saw oil prices soar above $100 a barrel before decreasing during a ceasefire.
Background
According to analysis by Foreign Policy, Russia's use of advanced Iranian-supplied drones, capable of flying at speeds up to 375 miles per hour, aims to intensify the conflict.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding regions have killed at least 15 people, including three children, according to reports from Kyivindependent (Ukraine) and Transylvaniatimes (Romania).
What's confirmed
- "A large number of their Diesel refineries have been blown up and are, at least temporarily, out of commission. This ridiculous and never ending War with Ukraine must be ended. The whole World suffers as 25,000 people, mostly soldiers, are being killed each month."
- The Defense Ministry said Sunday that recent attacks on refineries in cities like Moscow and Yaroslavl have put 51% of Russia’s refining capacity out of action.
- “They started attacking oil refineries and openly declared the goal of damaging our economy. Did they achieve their goal. Partially,” Putin said at a meeting of the Valdai Club forum of international foreign policy experts.
- “Fifty-one percent of struck refining capacity is a significant blow to the enemy’s economy, to its ability to carry out aggression and supply its troop groupings. Our deep strikes continue to bring the war to Russian territory,” he said.
What's still developing
- Thus far, however, negotiations have failed to achieve a ceasefire.
- "The logistics crisis does not distinguish between military and civilian needs, it hits everything at once."
- Now, Craig Kennedy said, Ukraine's expanding campaign against Russia's supply network was seeing it move from targeting large refineries to smaller, local distribution networks.
- Zelenskiy has to do one thing: He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.” He added, “There are plenty of other targets.
- The main reason: Ukrainian long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian oil refineries and gas complexes and Iran, likewise, targeting the energy infrastructure of Saudi Aramco, QatarEnergy and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
- The war began in February 2022 and Trump campaigned on ending the conflict within 24 hours of returning to the White House.
- “[We] assumed that these were purely civilian facilities and could not be targets of any kind of attacks even amid an armed conflict,” Putin said.
- “I think we will restore the remaining 10% in the very near future,” Putin said.
- “As long as the special military operation continues, there is only one response — strengthening the air defense system,” he added.
- Some have been carried out by the 413th separate battalion "Raid" of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, whose commander, Yevhen Karas, spoke to the BBC from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. His drones, Karas said, did not encounter much resistance from Russian air defences during recent missions. "It was a beautiful feeling when we can fly anywhere we want," he told the BBC.
- “There may be people under the rubble of the residential building that was hit. A search and rescue operation is underway,” Terekhov wrote on his Telegram channel.