Drones attacked a refinery in Ryazan, Russia, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the authorities of the Ryazan region and Russian independent Telegram channels reported. This is another attack on a plant belonging to the Rosneft concern. According to the Politico website, after massive shelling of refineries and fuel bases, Russia, the largest supplier of oil in the world, is starting to have a problem with gasoline. The Ukrainian side has not yet commented on another attack on the refinery. However, at the end of March this year, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk, announced that “Ukraine will continue to hit Russian oil refineries.” “Such attacks have already proven their effectiveness,” the official emphasized then.
A Russian Telegram channel, Astra, wrote that a fire broke out at the refinery following a drone attack. Residents of nearby towns reported hearing the sounds of two explosions.
The governor of the Ryazan region, Pavel Malkov, said that the region “was attacked by drones” and that “according to initial reports, there are no injuries.” The official did not specify the number of drones attacking the region, but wrote only that one drone was downed and that an “investigation is ongoing” into the “event.”
Refinery fire in RyazanPetro Andryushchenko/Telegram
“The attacks have shown their effectiveness”
The Ryazan refinery, owned by Rosneft, was attacked by drones also in March. After this attack, the independent Russian-language website The Moscow Times recalled that since the beginning of this year, drones have attacked at least 13 oil and gas plants in Russia.
The Ukrainian side has not yet commented on another attack on the refinery in Ryazan. However, at the end of March this year, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk, announced that “Ukraine will continue to hit Russian oil refineries.” “Such attacks have already proven their effectiveness,” the official emphasized then.
Burning fuel base in Smolensk Oblast, Russia Reuters
“The world's largest oil country has been left without gasoline”
A wave of drone attacks on refineries deep in Russia forced the Kremlin to defend its own territory during the war. These attacks also achieved something incredible – the world's largest oil country was left without gasoline, and local fuel prices skyrocketed – wrote the Politico portal in a publication titled “Putin's fuel problem”.
According to data from the (Russian) government, diesel prices for Russian consumers have increased dramatically. Gasoline prices also hit a six-month high, up more than 20 percent since the beginning of this year, Politico reported Tuesday.
Moscow has cut fuel exports to an almost historic low, sending just over 712,000 tons of diesel beyond its borders last week. In the same week in 2023, it was over 844 thousand tons.
For Moscow, this is both a military and political problem. Cheap fuel is not only essential for Russia's military operations, but is also a key element of compensation for the population proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an antidote to delayed wages and the low ruble exchange rate, Politico wrote.
Main photo source: Petro Andryushchenko/Telegram