NATO Official: Ukraine's Attacks on Russian Oil Refineries May Disrupt Their Capacity by Over 15%

A NATO official stated on Thursday, April 5, that Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries may have disrupted their capacity by over 15%. The official added that, according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Moscow lacks sufficient equipment, ammunition, and manpower to carry out a successful attack in Ukraine. The NATO official mentioned that Moscow is likely attempting to reduce Ukraine's air defense capabilities by simultaneously using drones and missiles to attack targets in the country. He further noted that NATO has no evidence of Iranian ballistic missiles being transferred to Russia, but after the bilateral agreement between Tehran and Moscow, he sees no reason why the Islamic Republic would not deliver these missiles to Russia. On Tuesday, April 3, a Ukrainian drone attacked the third-largest refinery in Russia, located about 1,300 kilometers from the front line, damaging a unit that processes 155,000 barrels of crude oil daily. The extent of the damage is unclear, although a Russian official stated that the attack did not cause serious harm to the refinery. An intelligence source from Ukraine reported that Ukraine struck the primary processing unit at the 'Tanko' oil refinery in the industrial region of Tatarstan, causing a fire. He added that the aim of the attacks on Russian refineries is to reduce the country's oil revenue. The damaged unit accounts for about half of the total production capacity of this facility, which constitutes about 6% of Russia's total oil refining capacity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not directly refer to the drone attack in Tatarstan but stated that Kyiv's long-range military actions against Russia are 'important.' Ukraine has recently begun attacking Russian oil refineries, the world's second-largest oil exporter, impacting Moscow's lucrative trade in refined products amid widespread Russian missile attacks on Ukraine's energy network. According to Reuters calculations, about 14% of Russia's refining capacity has been shut down due to drone attacks. Demand for refined oil products is higher than for Russian crude oil, which could lead to a crisis in the global energy market and increase oil prices. Attacks on Russian refineries have raised concerns in Washington about the potential escalation of tensions with Russia. Kyiv justifies its drone attacks on Russia, claiming it is defending itself, while Moscow continuously attacks Ukrainian infrastructure.