In Ukraine, there is growing discussion about the possibility of attacks on Russian oil refineries (refineries) as a way to force Russia not to attack Ukrainian energy. Military expert and founder of the Reaktivna Poshta charitable organization Pavlo Narozhnyi emphasized the importance of such facilities for the Russian economy on the air of Radio NV, noting that their destruction can significantly affect key industries, in particular the agricultural sector.
Narozhny explained that Russian industry is largely dependent on petroleum products, and Russia does not actually have the technology to build a refinery. "The closest partner that can help them is China, but even China is wary of the risk of falling under secondary US sanctions if it starts building oil refineries for Russia," he said.
The expert also emphasized that if the refinery is destroyed, it will not be able to resume its work. The distance to the refinery, which became the target, is about 1,800 km in a straight line, but given the need to fly around military facilities and air defense systems, the actual distance may exceed 2,000 km. Narozhny noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have at their disposal various models of long-range drones capable of striking at such distances.
Responding to a question about the possibility that the attacks on Russian refineries indicate the lack of agreements between Ukraine and Russia, Narozhny expressed the opinion that this could be an attempt to force the enemy to negotiate. "The Ukrainians are demonstrating that we have the ability to strike their critical facilities, and this may push Russia to seek a compromise, especially on the eve of the heating season, when they are stockpiling cruise missiles," he said.
Thus, strikes on Russian refineries can not only weaken the economy of the aggressor, but also become an important tool in the arsenal of Ukrainian forces in the fight for their energy independence.
