Ukraine has 15 types of drones to strike the Russian oil industry

Ukrainian drones Hit an oil refinery in Samara Oblast overnight on Saturday, igniting fires that ignited in the morning. The attack is the latest – and far-reaching – in an escalating campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian oil facilities.

Samara is located more than 500 miles from the front line in eastern Ukraine.

In a year of raids targeting more than a dozen refineries and warehouses in western Russia, Ukraine's KGB temporarily reduced Russia's refining capacity by An estimated 12 percent. This has a significant impact on gas prices for Russian motorists.

Prices rose this month to their highest levels in six months. In an effort to maintain domestic supplies as the summer travel season approaches, Moscow has been restored The ban on gasoline exports was lifted last September.

Kiev relies on oil raids to strain Moscow's finances, complicate military logistics and sow discontent among ordinary Russians. But don't expect the drone campaign to be decisive. “These are immediate strikes,” energy expert Hanadi Rybtsev told The Ukrainian. the truth. “It is painful and affects logistics, but it does not significantly affect the total annual refining volume.”

Perhaps most significant for Ukrainian forces are the drone strikes, which include 15 types of home-made long-range drones, which naval analyst Hay Sutton said It has been determined– It could force the Kremlin to withdraw valuable air defense systems from the front lines and redeploy them around oil infrastructure.

Moscow appears to be striving to strengthen its air defenses I was late recently– From 2024 to 2026 – Export of two S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries to New Delhi. according to The British Ministry of Defence, is already planning to deploy Pantsir air defense vehicles around energy facilities.

In strengthening protection around refineries, the Russians may accept less Protection around air bases, ports, headquarters and other military installations, making them easier targets.

“Ukrainian drone strikes against targets inside Russia are likely to increase pressure on available Russian air defense assets,” the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War reported. to explain.

A massive Ukrainian missile strike targeting the Russian Black Sea Fleet's anchorage at Sevastopol in occupied Crimea on Sunday hinted at possible consequences as Russia deploys and scales back its best air defences.

That missile strike, which apparently used British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles and similar French-made SCALP-EGs fired by Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, may have hit two Black Sea Fleet aircraft. Robocha-First-class landing ships, hastening the extinction of the fleet's amphibious fleet.

For the Kremlin, the choice may be imminent: protect the refineries or protect the front-line troops. It may be impossible to do both. “You can't defend everywhere,” said retired U.S. Army Gen. Mark Hertling male.