Ukraine has struck Russia’s five largest oil refineries

Since 30 October, the Defence Forces of Ukraine have struck five of Russia’s largest oil refineries. In total, seven such facilities have been attacked since the end of last month. The most distant site was located 2,500 km from the Ukrainian border – in Omsk. This is roughly the same distance as from Warsaw to Sicily (2,600 km).

Successful attacks on refineries

Nearly 2,500 km from the Ukrainian border. That is the distance separating Omsk from the front line. It was there, on 11 November, that a fire broke out at the largest refinery in the Russian Federation. Units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine struck the Omsk refinery, a giant of the Russian refining industry, which daily supplies fuel for the needs of the war against Ukraine,” the General Staff in Kyiv reported on Thursday, 12 November.

According to information from the Ukrainian command, the Omsk plant can process over 21 million tonnes of crude oil annually and records one of the highest oil refining depth indicators in Russia, at approximately 99 per cent.

Since the end of October, a total of seven refineries in Russia have been attacked, including five of the largest plants, the Staff stated. Since 30 October, Ukrainian »long-range sanctions« have reached refineries in Omsk, Kirishi, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Yaroslavl, which belong to the five plants with the largest processing capacities in the country. The strikes also covered smaller but equally important refineries for the adversary in Novokuybyshevsk and Saratov,” the statement on Telegram said.

Strikes on primary oil processing installations limit fuel production for the Russian army and reduce the revenues with which Russia finances the war. Distance no longer protects. Whether in Siberia or in closer regions of Russia, Ukrainian soldiers reach the opponent where they build their war. (…) To be continued! Glory to Ukraine!” it added.

Attack on the port

Furthermore, on Wednesday, 11 November, the General Staff reported that it struck the oil infrastructure of the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea in the Leningrad Oblast. This is a major export hub in north-western Russia, where the export of Russian oil and petroleum products is conducted. Profits from these sales finance the production of missiles and drones used in attacks on Ukraine, the command stated.

The strike occurred on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. This was yet another attack on this port. According to preliminary information, as a result of drone strikes on the port’s oil infrastructure, the most significant damage was recorded in the tank farm section. Five tanks containing petroleum products with a total capacity of 150,000 cubic metres were damaged. A large-scale fire broke out,” the Ukrainian staff reported.

AJ / PAP / Jarosław Junko