Attacking refineries is Ukraine's key task as it pushes Russia out of global economy, analyst says

Ukraine's strikes on oil refineries in Russia are part of a strategy to exclude the aggressor state from the world economy, the founder of "The Last Capitalist" initiative Valentyn Krasnopyorov told LIGA.net.

According to him, many factors indicate that the war with Russia will be long-term in varying degrees of intensity.

"The argument about reforms only after the war does not work. We need to create conditions for the growth of national capital. We have many people who earn money and have businesses," said Krasnopyorov.

He noted that Ukraine's task is to throw Russia out of the world economy.

"The strikes on refineries are a gradual implementation of this task, but they have the strength to continue," the analyst said.

On March 12, as a result of a drone strike at the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in the Russian town of Kstovo (the fourth largest in Russia) the unit, which accounts for more than 50% of the primary processing capacity of the plant, failed.

On March 13, the Security Service of Ukraine attacked with drones three of the five largest oil refineries in Russia – in Kstovo, Ryazan and Kirishi (Leningrad Oblast). The Russian authorities also announced the shutdown of the Novoshakhtinsky Refinery in Rostov Oblast. The biggest damage was done to the Ryazan Refinery (the third largest in Russia) – it probably lost 70% of its primary oil processing capacity.

On March 15, a small refinery "First Plant" in Kaluga Oblast came under attack.

The last of the attacks on the refinery took place on March 17 when the SBU attacked the Slaviansky Refinery in Krasnodar Krai with drones.