KYIV — Long-range Ukrainian attack drones launched by the SBU domestic security service have hit 12 Russian oil refineries during the war so far, a Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters on Sunday (March 17).
Officials in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar said Ukrainian drones had attacked the Slavyansk oil refinery, 70km north of the regional capital, overnight.
The Ukrainian source said the refinery, which processes about 4.5 million metric tons of crude a year and produces fuel mainly for exports, had been attacked in an operation staged by the SBU security service and other Ukrainian forces.
"The agency is continuing to implement a strategy to undermine the economic potential of Russia and reduce the flow of petro dollars that the enemy directs to the war," the source said.
"In total, SBU drones have recently successfully attacked 12 oil refineries in Russia."
The figure did not include operations conducted by Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, which has also been attacking refineries with drones, a second intelligence source said.
Russia accuses Ukraine of using "terrorist activities" to try to disrupt its three-day presidential election. Official Russian media has reported that drones have attacked refineries in many regions in recent weeks, including refineries owned by Rosneft and Lukoil.
Oil and petroleum products are an important sources of revenue for Russia, which exports them to dozens of countries around the world.
Ukraine has developed and used long-range drones to try to strike back at Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has been conducting long-range aerial attacks with missile and drones throughout the war.
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