Strikes on oil refineries are ideal target that harm Russia a lot - Energy Research Centre

Director of the Energy Research Centre Oleksandr Kharchenko told about this on the Espreso TV channel. 

"A primary oil refining unit at a refinery is a very attractive place to strike, because without it, the refinery does not work. There is high temperature, heated oil and high pressure. Accordingly, any strike causes a large fire, which effectively destroys the column. This column is worth at least USD 110-130 million in peacetime alone. It would take a year or a year and a half to produce it, even if the country was not under sanctions.  Of course, they have learned to evade the sanctions and will most likely find a way to get the equipment they need, but it will be twice as expensive as the market price, and most importantly for us, it will take longer. That is why these strikes are the most effective in terms of paralyzing their oil refining. These are ideal targets for strikes that do the most damage to the functioning of the enterprises," Kharchenko said.

According to him, Russia is affected by such strikes. After all, the opportunity to finance the Russian army is being reduced.

"They have closed the export of high-octane oil products, and now they are reducing the export of diesel fuel, which is painful financially. The ability to finance the Russian army and make large profits on oil products is being reduced. Russians will have to sell crude oil at a much lower price than they would like. So far, they have not experienced this in practice. The results of the strikes on the Ukrainian side have not yet led to a shortage of fuel or lubricants to supply the Kremlin's military. But we are working on it. The strikes have been planned very well, they are as effective as possible, and we need to continue. It is important that this is an uninhabited production facility, there will be no casualties, we are not hitting civilians. Ukraine is at war with the military, not against civilians," Kharchenko added.

• On March 23, it became known that residents of Novokuibyshevsk, Samara Region, reported a fire near the Rosneft oil refinery after a drone strike. On March 28, it became known that the refinery had to shut down both primary oil refining units after the fire, thus completely halting production.
• Bloomberg found out that Russia plans to cut marine diesel exports in April to the lowest level in 5 months due to successful attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries.
• CNN reported that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries are affecting the Russian economy more than Western sanctions.