Ukraine attacked Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, Zelenskiy says
Ukrainian Strikes Target Russian Oil Infrastructure
Details of the Yaroslavl Refinery Attack
May 22 (Reuters) - Ukrainian forces have attacked a Russian oil refinery in Yaroslavl, some 700 km (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday, the latest in a series of strikes by Kyiv on oil facilities in Russia.
"In particular, overnight, the Defense Forces of Ukraine operated against targets associated with the Yaroslavl oil refinery – about 700 kilometers from our territory," he said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine's Strategy and Impact on Russia's Oil Industry
Disrupting Russia's Oil Revenue
Ukraine has intensified its attacks in Russia, aiming to disrupt Russia's oil industry and slash revenue that helps Moscow fund the war in Ukraine. Global energy prices have risen during the Iran conflict and sanctions on Moscow's oil sales have been eased.
Repeated Strikes on Key Facilities
Kyiv has also increasingly adopted the tactic of hitting the same facilities several times.
Recent Attacks and Their Consequences
Number of Oil Facilities Targeted
The Ukrainian defence ministry said on X that Ukraine hit 11 Russian oil facilities this month as of May 21, including one of Russia's largest refineries Kirishi.
Operational Disruption in Central Russia
Virtually all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to halt or scale back fuel output following Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days, official data showed and sources told Reuters this week.
Statements from Ukrainian Leadership
"We are bringing the war back home – to Russia – and that's only fair," Zelenskiy said.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Toby Chopra)
