Operations by Ukraine's Security Service
Acting on a directive from President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) teamed up with other defense units to carry out a wave of strikes on fuel, energy, and military sites inside Russia and in occupied Crimea. The goal: to weaken Moscow's war-fighting and economic capacity. These attacks are part of a broader Ukrainian campaign to degrade Russian military logistics and disrupt supply lines fueling the invasion.
Specifically, Ukrainian drones targeted:
- The Yaroslavl oil refinery;
- The 'Yaroslavl' linear production-dispatch station.
Explosions and smoke were reported near the Yaroslavl refinery. The SBU confirmed hits on an oil-loading terminal at the 'Vysotsk' seaport in Leningrad Oblast, destroying two loading arms and damaging three fuel storage tanks. Drones also struck the 'First Plant' oil processing facility in Kaluga Oblast, sparking a fire on the premises.
Attacks on Crimea and Their Fallout
In a separate operation on the occupied peninsula, the SBU hit three hangars housing aircraft at the 'Gvardiyske' airbase and destroyed a 'Pantsir-S2' air defense system near Simferopol. In Kerch, a mobile fire team came under attack, while at the 'TES-Terminal-1' oil depot, a fuel reservoir and a pumping station were struck.
These new strikes left occupied Crimea without electricity, causing widespread blackouts across all cities and districts. One area also reported critical disruptions to water supply and communications.
Ukraine's strategy aims to reduce Russia's military capabilities and pressure the economy of occupied territories. The power cuts and water shortages in Crimea highlight severe consequences for civilians, potentially fueling local discontent with the occupation authorities. Such operations may set the stage for further Ukrainian actions in the conflict with Russia.
The recent strikes by Ukraine's SBU have not only disrupted Russian military logistics but also led to significant power outages in Crimea. These developments are part of a broader strategy to undermine Russian control over the region. For a detailed account of how Ukraine's unmanned systems targeted critical energy infrastructure in Crimea, read more about the recent operations that took down 16 power nodes in just 48 hours here.