Ukraine Drones Hit Two Russian Refineries 1,500 km In
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- Ukraine's SBU struck a Lukoil-owned oil refinery near Perm, roughly 1,500 km from Ukraine, marking the second consecutive attack on oil facilities in the Perm area
- The Perm refinery, one of Russia's largest with nearly 13 million metric tons per year capacity, had a key primary oil processing unit effectively put out of action per preliminary SBU information
- SBU also struck an oil pumping station supplying the Perm refinery, causing new pockets of fire after a Wednesday overnight attack on the same station
- Ukraine's military separately hit the Orsknefteorgsintez refinery in Orenburg region, also about 1,500 km from Ukraine, triggering a fire at a facility it says supplies Russia's occupation army
- The strikes are part of Ukraine's intensified campaign to disrupt Russia's oil industry and slash revenue that helps fund the war, with global oil prices already rising amid the Iran war and sanctions easing on Moscow
- Russia has for months retaliated by striking Ukrainian energy targets, knocking out power and heating to thousands of civilians during winter months
Why it matters: Two simultaneous strikes 1,500 km inside Russia hit a Lukoil refinery with 13 million metric tons per year capacity and a second facility in Orenburg, directly targeting Moscow's primary war-funding revenue stream at a moment when global oil prices are already elevated by the Iran conflict. The escalation marks a sharp deepening of Ukraine's energy counter-offensive as Russia continues to systematically destroy Ukraine's power grid in retaliation.
