Ukraine Strikes Black Sea Oil Terminals as Russia Unleashes Drone Barrage
Widespread attacks by both Russia and Ukraine followed the end of the temporary ceasefire for Russia’s Victory Day Parade. Ukraine reports it was able to inflict serious damage on Russia’s energy infrastructure, while reports said Russia launched the largest sustained drone barrage of the war.
Russia launched a total of 1,428 drones and decoys over a sustained 24-hour period from Wednesday into Thursday, reports The New York Times. It termed it the “largest sustained daylong drone attack” since the start of the war, by its calculations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later asserted that Russia had launched more than 1,560 drones since Wednesday, as well as at least 56 missiles.
The capital city of Kyiv was one of the primary targets, but the attacks struck multiple parts of the country. Odesa Administrator Oleh Kiper reported a large-scale drone attack on port infrastructure. He said there were two waves with the Russians damaging equipment, property, and vehicles.
Ukraine, in return, intensified its ongoing campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported they had targeted a key export and transshipment facility near the Kerch Strait. They highlighted that it was more than 200 miles from the front line.
Bloomberg is reporting that Ukraine’s strikes on the Russian oil infrastructure reached a four-month high in April. It writes that there were at least 21 attacks on refineries, pipelines, and tankers.
Pictures posted online showed large explosions at the Tamanneftegaz terminal, with reports of ongoing fires in the facility located near the Port of Taman, located on the Kerch Strait. Ukraine said the terminal is used for storage, transshipments, and exports of oil, fuel, diesel, and liquefied gases. There were two waves of attacks on Wednesday and again on Thursday at the terminal.
Ukraine also reported strikes on the Port of Taman and its energy terminal. They said the terminal could accommodate up to four ships at one time. They asserted that it was being used to provide fuel for Russian troops and as a major export hub.
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Ukraine’s General Staff reported other energy-related strikes, including on the Yaroslavl oil refinery. They said it was used to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. They reported striking the primary oil refining units.
Russia’s oil production is projected to fall to a nearly 20-year low in 2026, according to reports in the Moscow Times. It writes that production levels in 2026 will be similar to 2009, citing the impact of the Western sanctions as well as Ukraine’s ongoing attacks.