Ukrainian drones hit major Russian refinery, patrol ship and oil tankers
Photo: The patrol ship Svetlyak (Russian media)
Ukraine struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, a Svetlyak patrol ship in Kerch, and Russian tankers overnight on July 17, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Strikes on maritime targets
Two tankers, including one liquefied gas carrier, and a tugboat were hit in the Black and Azov Seas.
According to the General Staff, the tankers are used to transport Russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas while circumventing international sanctions, as well as to deliver fuel for the Russian military.
A Project 10410 Svetlyak patrol ship was also struck in Kerch, in occupied Crimea.
Vessels of this project are designed to patrol maritime areas, escort naval and civilian ships, and support operations of the Russian Navy and other security agencies.
Fuel infrastructure targeted
Ukrainian forces also struck the TES-Terminal-1 oil terminal and a fuel and lubricants storage facility in Kerch. An oil depot in the occupied Shakhtarsk, Donetsk region, was also hit.
On July 16, Ukraine's Defense Forces attacked the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl. The General Staff said the strike hit the facility, triggering a fire on the refinery's grounds. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Slavneft-YANOS is one of Russia's largest oil refineries and the biggest refinery in the country's central region. It processes around 15 million metric tons of crude oil annually.
The refinery produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, lubricants, bitumen, and other petroleum products, including supplies used by Russia's military-industrial complex and armed forces.
Logistics and other military targets
Ukraine also struck a railway bridge over the Kalmius River near Staromarivka in the Donetsk region and a road bridge near Kozino in Russia's Kursk region. According to the General Staff, both bridges are used by Russian forces for military logistics.
In addition, Ukrainian forces hit a Russian logistics warehouse near Pokrovsk and a command and observation post near Novotroitske in the Donetsk region.
On the night of July 16-17, drones also targeted occupied Crimea, Berdiansk, and the Black Sea, sparking fires at several locations, including Kerch railway station. Reports indicated that approximately six to seven vessels from Russia's so-called shadow fleet were struck in the Black Sea.
A day earlier, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy carried out a joint operation using Mamai sea drones, targeting Russian tankers transporting oil from the ports of Ust-Luga, Kerch, and Novorossiysk.
