According to foreign media reports, in the largest drone swarm attack since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, four refineries in southern Russia became targets and one of the facilities was damaged.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a cable that 70 drones were intercepted and destroyed over Crimea and the Black Sea, and 43 drones were intercepted and destroyed over the Krasnodar region, but did not say how many drones were involved in the attack. The Ukrainian General Staff later posted on social media that the Afipsky, Ilsky, Krasnodar and Astrakhan refineries were attacked.
Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said in a telegram that as a result of the attack, "administrative buildings on the territory of the refinery were damaged." Interfax news agency reported earlier that a fire affecting an area of 50 square meters was put out in the morning and two people were injured.
The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for the drone swarm attacks, saying it launched drones at "Afipsky, Ilsky, Krasnodar and Astrakhan refineries." They also said an intelligence center in southern Russia was hit.
Ukraine said drones also targeted a "preparation and storage area" in the Krasnodar region, causing "a series of explosions and subsequent fires".
More than two years into the conflict, Ukraine is stepping up cross-border drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Kiev and its Western backers aim to cripple one of Russia’s most important industries, oil refining.
Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged several oil storage facilities in recent days, and last month two other refineries in southern Russia were targeted, including Rosneft's massive Tuapse refinery on the Black Sea.
In March, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said that from a military perspective, Russian refineries were "absolutely legitimate targets."
The Biden administration was panicking about Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia. This was largely because Brent crude oil prices were threatening to break $100 a barrel. However, in recent weeks, Biden has allowed Ukraine to attack deep into Russia with American weapons.
A major concern is that if Ukraine continues to target Russian oil infrastructure, Moscow could retaliate by attacking energy infrastructure the West relies on. This includes the CPC pipeline, which carries oil from Kazakhstan through Russia to global markets.
Given all these conflicts, the Biden team remains very concerned about an energy shock that could push U.S. gasoline prices to the politically sensitive level of $4 a gallon.
The article is forwarded from: Jinshi Data
