(TOBOLSK, TYUMEN OBLAST, RUSSIA) – Ukrainian special operations forces struck the largest petrochemical complex in Russia, a facility more than 2,000 kilometres inside Russian territory in the Tyumen region. The strike is the latest in a sustained campaign that has reduced Russia’s overall refining production by approximately 40%.
Russia has been grappling with a nationwide fuel shortage after Ukraine targeted all major refineries in the country in recent months. Car queues could be seen across the country, particularly in Siberian regions, outside petrol stations amid nationally imposed fuel rationing. Law enforcement and teachers were deployed in some cases to quell occasional disputes.
As a result of the crisis, Russia, the world’s third largest fossil fuel producer, has banned exports of petrol starting in April, of jet fuel starting in June, and of diesel starting 8 July. Moscow has resorted to importing petrol from India, Kazakhstan, and Belarus to plug the gap.
Russian military correspondents have openly acknowledged the vulnerability. One milblogger, Fighterbomber, stated, “Frankly we need to accept that we cannot protect such easily vulnerable targets as oil refineries and fuel tanks with the existing means. We need to start thinking about scenarios in which we do not have oil refineries, mobile, compact, underground, underwater, under ice, space, I do not know.” He added with sarcasm, “It is clear that we will shoot them all down, even on takeoff several times. But these debris, you understand, will still reach their target somehow.”
Another war correspondent, Veteran Notes, said mobile fire groups consisting of self defence units should have been established in every region a long time ago. “Our country is vast and air defence simply cannot cover the entire territory,” he said. Russian media outlet Rybar proposed an alternative solution, stating, “Acting from a defensive posture will not change the situation. Therefore, in addition to strengthening our own defence capabilities, we must work towards long term solutions. There are many options. Destroying enemy infrastructure and personnel, making cities uninhabitable.”
The daily tempo of strikes has become relentless. On 10 August, the Taneko oil refinery in Tatarstan was hit. The complex has a design capacity for raw materials of approximately 13 million tonnes of oil per year. On 8 August, the Yaroslavl oil refinery, one of the top five largest in Russia with a design capacity of 15 million tonnes per year, was struck. The plant specialises in deep oil refining and produces petrol, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, jet fuel, fuel oil, and other petroleum products. On 6 August, a facility in the Ufa group of oil refineries, with a design capacity for primary oil processing of 7.1 million tonnes of oil per year, was also hit.
The situation is even worse in the occupied territories, meaning military transport along the southern land bridge faces new challenges in keeping the front supplied. Russia has attempted to create mobile fire groups to defend facilities, with some wealthier regions deploying more sophisticated equipment. However, analysts note that parking sufficient air defence assets like Pantsir and Buk systems outside every refinery across the country is impossible given the sheer number of fixed, easily located targets spread across Russia’s vast territory.
Footage released by the press service of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) confirmed the strike on the Tobolsk petrochemical complex.
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