Russia unlikely able to protect all refineries - British intelligence

Recent Ukrainian drone strikes have disabled major Russia’s oil refineries, which has dealt a blow to the nation’s economy. Also, Russia is unlikely to be able to defend against further such attacks.

That’s according to the British Defense Ministry, referring to an intelligence review, Ukrinform reports.

According to the ministry, recent drone strikes have likely disrupted at least 10% of the country’s refinery capacity.

"These strikes are imposing a financial cost on Russia, impacting the domestic fuel market. (…) Depending on the extent of the damage, major repairs could take considerable time and expense. Sanctions are highly likely increasing the time and cost of sourcing replacement equipment," analysts say.

The report quoted a Russian energy official as saying that there are plans to deploy Pantsir air defense system to protect the refineries.

"However, given the size and scale of Russia’s energy industry, it is unlikely that Russia will be able to protect all the vulnerable facilities," analysts conclude.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on March 17, Ukraine launched drone strikes targeting several Russian oil refineries. On March 15-16, three large refineries in Samara region were also attacked. Some of the affected facilities are located approximately 900 km from the Ukrainian border. Another refinery was hit in Samara region in the early hours of Saturday, March 23.