How US officials reacted to Ukraine’s attacks previously
The US administration has expressed concern to high-ranking Ukrainian officials that the attacks on Russian oil facilities could lead to a surge in global oil prices, which have already climbed by about 15% to $85 per barrel this year. Some US officials also perceive Ukraine's aerial offensive as a means to pressure the US government into green-lighting the crucial $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine, which has been held up by Republican lawmakers in Congress for an extended period.Ukrainian drone assault on Russian oil industry
The latest drone attack targeted an oil refinery and a drone manufacturing facility in Russia's Tatarstan region, which lies approximately 1,250 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border, making it the deepest attack into Russian territory during the ongoing war. This year, Ukraine escalated its attacks on Russian oil refineries and fuel depots since January 2024. Here is the short timeline of major attacks:- On 23 March, a fire broke out at the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Samara Oblast after explosions, likely from a drone strike
- On 17 March, drones struck the Slavyansk oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
- On 16 March, drones hit three oil refineries in Russia’s Samara Oblast.
- On 15 March, suicide drones attacked an oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga oblast.
- On 13 March, drones hit an oil refinery in Ryazan.
- On 12 March, Ukraine carried out a coordinated drone offensive, hitting and damaging at least two Russian oil assets – a refinery in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and a fuel depot in Oryol.
- On 6 March, an oil depot in Kursk came under drone attack.
- On 14 February, a Kursk oil depot was ablaze after a drone strike.
- On 9 February, kamikaze drones targeted oil facilities in two Russian regions, hitting the Ilsky and Afipsky oil refineries in the Krasnodar region and an oil depot in the Oryol region, causing a severe fire at the Ilsky refinery and damaging a primary processing unit valued.
- On 3 February, residents of Volgograd, Russia, reported two explosions, with the Governor stating that Russian air defense units allegedly intercepted drones targeting an oil refinery.
- A vacuum distillation column at an oil refinery caught fire in Russia’s Tuapse City overnight on 25 January.
- On 18 January, Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
- On 31 January, a drone hit an oil refinery in St. Petersburg.
- On 18 January, Ukrainian drones attacked an oil depot in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
