Ukrainian UAV swarm attack causes Russia to "lose 5% of oil refining capacity"

(Dan Tri) - Observers estimate that Ukraine's UAV attack on Russian energy facilities has caused Moscow to lose 5% of its oil refining capacity.

Kstovo oil refinery on fire (Photo: WarTranslated).

Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones attacked the Nizhny Novgorod oil refinery in Kstovo, central Russia, some 837km from the front line in northern Ukraine. The explosions caused a huge fire that the Ukrainian General Staff described as “fierce” and continued throughout the early morning.

A campaign of deep strikes on Russian oil facilities by Ukraine has been going on for about two years, but this month's raids mark a significant escalation.

The Kstovo refinery has a refining capacity of 13 million barrels of oil a year, about 5% of Russia's total refining capacity. Attacks on several other refineries this month may have reduced Russia's output of petroleum products by more than a tenth.

The refineries may be repaired, but Ukraine can always send in more attack drones.

After three years of continuous development, the Ukrainian defense industry has developed more than 10 different models of long-range attack drones, which can carry dozens of kilograms of explosives to a distance of more than 1,280 km and attack with high precision. Some other models can travel more than 1,600 km.

Compared to the millions of dollars it would cost to rebuild a refinery, a drone—or even a swarm of drones—is much cheaper. The Aeroprakt A-22 sport plane that Ukraine converted into an attack UAV costs about $130,000.

The attacks on Russia's vital oil industry are part of a broader strategy by Ukraine to deprive Moscow of its key source of revenue.

The US is also joining in. New US sanctions on Russian tankers, imposed by the Biden administration in its final two weeks in office, have begun to worry Russian customers in China and India.

The question is whether President Donald Trump will maintain sanctions, lift them, or strengthen them. In his first days in the White House, Trump has not had a clear strategy for America’s new role in the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump had previously pledged to end the war on his first day in office (January 20), a promise he clearly could not keep.

Meanwhile, Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army lieutenant general and Mr Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has long called for tougher sanctions on the energy industry, which he sees as a “weapon” of Russia. But there is no guarantee that Mr Kellogg’s views will become official policy.

With or without US support, Ukraine is determined to continue attacking Russian oil facilities. "Combat operations against strategic facilities supporting the Russian operation will continue," the Ukrainian General Staff said.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/don-tan-cong-bay-dan-cua-uav-ukraine-khien-nga-mat-5-cong-suat-loc-dau-20250130192808395.htm