Russia has been able to swiftly repair oil refineries inside Russian territory that have been targeted by Ukrainian drones, Reuters reported on Monday.
The report said the attacks initially reduced Russia’s oil production by 14% at the end of March, but after quick repairs, it is now down by 10% and expected to continue to increase.
The Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s refineries provoked more Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. According to The Washington Post, US officials say the Russian strikes have hurt Ukraine far more than the attacks on oil refineries hurt Russia.
The Post report said that Vice President Kamala Harris told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop targeting Russian oil refineries back in February over concerns it would disrupt the global oil market and provoke harsh Russian retaliation. But Zelensky brushed off the warnings, and the attacks continued.
Russia has been much more successful in its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure as its intelligence improves and Ukraine is running low on air defenses. Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine was unable to prevent the destruction of one of its largest power plants, the Trypilska thermal power plant, because it didn’t have enough munitions.
“There were 11 missiles flying. We destroyed the first seven, and [the remaining] four destroyed Trypillia,” Zelensky said. “Why? Because there were zero missiles. We ran out of missiles to defend Trypillia.”
While facing increased Russian missile attacks, Ukrainian forces are also losing territory on the battlefield, and the frontlines are at risk of collapsing. Despite the bleak situation, the US is looking to continue funding the proxy war instead of pushing for diplomacy, and a vote on Ukraine aid could happen in the House this week.
“The Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s refineries provoked more Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.”
They did no such thing, Decamp, and you know it. Russia was going to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure anyway. The only reason it has been more successful this year than last is Trump and his MAGA sycophants in Congress pulled the plug on Ukraine’s air defense.
The biggest thermal power plant in Kyiv region was destroyed because there were no missiles for air defence.
No. Missiles. For. Air. Defense. Of. Main. Powerplant.
Zelensky: “The Kyiv region depended on the Tripilska power plant. Eleven missiles were headed towards it. The first seven we took down. Four destroyed Tripilska. Why? Because we had zero missiles. We ran out of missiles. You know, when someone says that our allies cannot provide us with this or that weapon, or they cannot be in Ukraine with this or that force because that would be perceived as if Ukraine is engaging NATO in the war? Well, after yesterday’s attack I want to ask you a question. Is Israel part of NATO or not?”
“Here is the answer. Israel is not a NATO country. The NATO allies, including NATO countries, have been defending Israel. They showed the Iranian forces that Israel was not alone. So this is a lesson. This is a response to anyone on any continent who says you need to assist Ukraine very carefully. This is a response to anyone on any continent who says you need to assist Ukraine very carefully so you don’t engage NATO countries in the war.”
https://ukrainetoday.org/this-is-heartbreaking/
Russian Oil Exports Crippled by Ukraine Attacks on Refineries
Newsweek, 15 April: Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities continue to hurt, recent figures show.
Since January, attacks on facilities across a wide area of Russia have increased in frequency. Ukraine usually does not claim direct responsibility for the strikes, which hamper Moscow’s war machine and key export revenue generator.
The International Energy Agency, headquartered in Paris, said the strikes could see 500,000 to 600,000 barrels a day of Russia’s crude processing lost in the second quarter of this year—about 10 percent of the country’s capacity of 5.2 million barrels a day.
According to Dow Jones, reports have indicated that as much as 800,000 barrels a day of processing capacity has been damaged or shut because of the attacks.
https://ukrainetoday.org/russian-oil-exports-crippled-by-ukraine-attacks-on-refineries/
While Lloyd Austin has questioned the usefulness of Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, it’s obvious that Biden fears a worldwide increase in the price of oil will cost him the election. Kamala Harris met with Zelenskyy during the Munich Security Conference in February and urged him to refrain from striking the refineries. This irritated Zelensky, but, since then, Ukraine has launched attacks on a number of refineries, including, on 2 April, Russia’s third largest refinery, located in Tatarstan.
In a comment to The Economist, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, said that strikes on refineries and military facilities deep into Russial are part of a strategy aimed at putting pressure on Putin.
“Firstly, it limits his room for maneuver, and secondly, it helps to convince Russian society and elites that continuation of the war is more expensive than its cessation,” Lytvynenko said.
Europe believes Ukraine has the right to strike Russian refineries. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna believes that Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries are justified since they help curb Russia’s revenues and make it harder for Russia to wage war. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs stated that Ukraine has every right to strike Russian oil refineries after the latest Russian attack on Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that Ukraine has the right to strike “legitimate military targets,” including refineries, outside its borders.
https://ukrainetoday.org/zelenskyy-irritated-by-us-request-not-to-hit-russian-refineries/
I’d love to see Dave DeCamp once, writing an article with real antiwar language such as: Russia, bring your soldiers home.
That would be an opinion piece. Dave writes news pieces.
No, he does not.
He writes opinion based news pieces and you even said that about antiwar.
It should be objective and factual news pieces if you want to have any credibility.
I’m still fascinated by your defense of Dave. You have technically become his personal press secretary.
He writes news pieces that are biased in a different direction than the bias you prefer, and that contain more open editorialization than I would prefer.
“With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms.” — Hunter S. Thompson
Feel free to criticize Dave’s reporting. I will feel free to criticize it too. As long as you don’t attack Dave himself, you’re fine. The latter would be a violation of our guidelines, which it’s my job to enforce whether I like Dave or not (I do happen to like Dave, but that’s irrelevant).
Zelensky is such a good vassal. Where did we find such a guy? He is so good at destroying Ukraine and agitating for nuclear war. What I really like about him the most is he doesn’t give a $hit about Ukraine or Ukrainians.
“Russia quickly restores…” sure, very quickly, like the Black Sea Fleet. Lol
…hurt by Ukraine.” — I didn’t know Ukraine has hurt the untouchable mighty red Army. Any other Russian capability hurt by Ukraine? Lol