UK intelligence says Russia can't protect all vulnerable facilities as Ukraine continues to target its oil refineries
UK Defence Intelligence has analysed Russia's attempts to protect its oil refining facilities from Ukrainian strikes.
Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 23 March on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda
Details: After the Russian government announced plans to deploy Pantsir air defence systems to protect oil refineries, the UK intelligence noted it is unlikely that Russia will be able to protect all vulnerable facilities, given the size and scale of its energy industry.
"Recent strikes against refineries have likely disrupted at least 10 per cent of Russia’s refining capacity," the UK MoD stressed.
Analysts suggested that significant repairs at Russian refineries might require substantial time and expense, depending on the extent of the damage, with sanctions likely to add to the time and cost of sourcing new equipment.
The UK MoD noted that some of the most remote facilities in Russia that have been attacked are about 900 kilometres from Ukraine, demonstrating the reach of Ukraine's drone attacks.
"These strikes are imposing a financial cost on Russia, impacting the domestic fuel market," the UK intelligence summarised.
Background: The Financial Times claimed that the United States purportedly urged Ukraine not to hit Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure facilities, as it is concerned that this could lead to higher energy prices and further escalation.
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