Ahead of its expected offensive, Ukraine seems to focus on Russia’s fuel supply facilities, although official Kyiv does not confirm that the recent attacks on Russian oil depots and refineries have been carried out by Ukrainian forces.
Whoever is behind the attacks – the Ukrainian army, pro-Ukrainian partisans acting on their own initiative, or even the Russian resistance – the effect is complicated logistics for the invaders. A by-effect is decreased morale of Russian soldiers.
This is what happened over the last week:
On Saturday, April 29, unidentified drones caused a spectacular fire at the oil depot of the Russian fleet in Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russia. According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, which called the attack “Divine Retribution,” the fire destroyed 10 tanks with oil products at a total capacity of 40,000 tons.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports panic rumors spreading through the city about the inability of Russian air defense to ensure the safety of their own strategic facilities. Sensing the beginning of a “hot vacation season,” so to speak, many Russian servicemen have applied for leave.
On Tuesday, May 2, unidentified persons blew up a railway line in the Bryansk region of Russia, Obozrevatel reports. As a result of the sabotage, a train carrying fuel intended for the Russian occupation army derailed and toppled.
Wednesday brought Ukrainians two good news at once from the Krasnodar region of Russia.
One more oil depot went up in flames some 15 kilometers from the illegally built Crimean Bridge, which connects the Taman Peninsula with Crimea’s Kerch Peninsula. According to Channel 24, the local Russian authorities say a tank with petroleum products caught fire of the highest level of complexity. The cause of the fire was not reported – probably Divine Retribution once again.
Anyway, the fire could be admired even from as far away as the Crimean Peninsula.
Russia🇷🇺: There has been an explosion of fuel tanks at the port of Taman in the Krasnodar Krai region near the Black Sea. Firefighters from five different brigades are working to extinguish the fire at the site ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dPht56qdEc
— Belsat in English (@Belsat_Eng) May 3, 2023
Later, no-one-knows-whose four drones attacked the Ilsky Oil Refinery for an hour, destroying one tank and setting fire to another, filled with diesel fuel at 85%, according to NV. The total capacity of both tanks is 5,000 cubic meters.
Thursday morning began with a drone attack on an oil refinery in the Rostov region. In Russia, they claim that the drone was Ukrainian, but who believes what they say in Russia? The explosion appears to have caused only minor damage to the refinery. It’s a pity.
Finally, the fiery baton was passed over to a fuel oil warehouse in the Stavropol region. It burned beautifully, according to UNIAN. The cause of the fire is not known.
Divine Retribution again?
