800 km flew: one blow of drones by 5% reduced the oil refining potential of the Russian Federation, - Forbes

" At the same time, what happened has already caused panic in the Russian post -war blogosphere because of this, as well as other recent Ukrainian strikes on about 30 large oil refineries of the Russian Federation, critical points in the country's most important industry. "Another oil refinery is on fire," one blogger wrote, condemning a clear absence of air defense around strategic objects.

The Ukrainian deep blow campaign for Russian oil facilities has been going on for about two years, but the raids have been marked by significant escalation this month. The plant alone processed 13 million barrels of oil per year, which is approximately 5% of the total production of Russian refinery. The strikes of several other refineries this month could reduce the production of petroleum products in Russia by more than 10%. The refinery can be repaired.

But Ukraine can always launch even more drones. In three years of tireless work, the Ukrainian industry has developed more than a dozen different models of long -range UAVs, including modified sports aircraft, which regularly carry explosives up to 1500 km and strike with high accuracy. Compared to the multimillion -dollar costs for the recovery of refinery, even a swarm of drones is cheap. A-22 airplanes, which are converted to shock drones, are sold for about $ 130,000.

Oil raids are part of a large -scale Ukrainian strategy aimed at depriving Russia of its main source of government revenues and stopping the military machine. It should be reminded that, according to journalist Ivan Yakovina, because of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces in the Lukoil plant, Russia will lose tens of billions of dollars.