AiBotKiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia – A month-long onslaught by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has left Russian oil infrastructure in disarray with numerous attacks across the country in June. The precision strikes, aimed at crippling Russia’s oil refining capabilities, have seen targets ranging from major refineries and ports to critical storage facilities and tank farms.
The wave of attacks began on June 1, when an ELOU-AVT-5 facility and a major tank farm at Il’sk Refinery were struck, highlighting the vulnerability of key infrastructure. This was followed by an attack on an oil base in Luhansk (June 4-5), which set the tone for the subsequent onslaught.
As the month wore on, Ukrainian drones continued to rain destruction down on Russian oil infrastructure, with the key tank farm at the Ust-Labinsk oil base being destroyed on June 5. This high-profile strike drew international attention, further underlining Ukraine’s capabilities and intent.
Mariupol Port (June 5) suffered a significant loss, as tanks containing marine gas oil (MGO) were destroyed, highlighting the strategic importance of this major transportation hub. Meanwhile, the Syktyvkar Oil Base and Crimea (June 6) fell to strikes as did the OJSC “Grushovaya” – tank farm and LPDS “Krasny Yar” on the following days.
The attacks escalated throughout the month, with the Novokuybyshevsk Refinery coming under fire (June 9-10). Strikes on this site destroyed key AVT-4 and AVT-5 equipment and facilities, severely impacting Russia’s ability to refine crude oil.
Further afield, the Afipsk Refinery was struck on June 10-11, and the key AT-22/4 and LNGC were destroyed, significantly reducing oil processing capacities. Ukrainian UAVs continued the assault, focusing on a Nizhnekamsk Refinery on June 11.
Rybinsk Oil Base and the 19 critical tanks within were targeted between June 13 and 14, as well as the NPS “Palkino” tank farm on June 14. Strikes also landed on various Moscow-based assets, the oil base on Poltavskaya, and the Moscow Refinery, Kapotnya, with a key ELOU-AVT-5 facility destroyed.
Additional targets included the Oil Base in Gukovo, Moscow Refinery, Kapotnya, and KUPN, as well as cracking unit G-43-107 and the visbreaking and MTBE/oligomerization units were severely damaged. Furthermore, critical facilities such as the Oil Base, st. Poltavskaya (twice in late June), Bashneft-UNPZ (June 25), Bashneft-Ufanaftechim (June 24), Slavneft Refinery, and the key Yaroslavl Refinery and a crucial facility at USNiPG “Slavyanskaya” suffered attacks.
Ukraine’s ongoing campaign to disrupt Russia’s oil capabilities, utilizing its extensive fleet of UAVs, may have reached a boiling point, with Russian forces scrambling to defend the increasingly critical oil infrastructure.