At least five oil storage tanks were hit at Russia’s Feodosia oil depot.
The Ukrainian military and intelligence services once again struck deep behind Russian lines to target a major oil terminal and power facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Using suicide drones, Ukrainian special operators and intelligence officers targeted and destroyed a large oil depot and power substations in Feodosia.
Suicide Drone Attacks
At least five oil storage tanks were hit at the Feodosia oil depot as massive columns of fire and smoke that could be seen from miles engulfed the facility. Moreover, several power substations linking Russia with occupied Crimea suffered damage.
The Ukrainian military intelligence agency (SBU) and the Ukrainian military’s special operations forces conducted the attack.
This is not the first time the Ukrainian forces have targeted and struck the Feodosia oil depot. Last week, a day before the birthday of Russian president Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainians targeted the oil facility with suicide drones.
“The SBU continues to systematically reduce the military, logistical, and economic capacity of the enemy to wage war against Ukraine. Our technical capabilities allow us to stage strikes both in temporarily occupied territories and deep in Russian rear areas,” an SBU source told the Ukrainian news outlet Kyiv Post.
Recent reports suggest that the United States has been facilitating the Ukrainian drone and missile campaign against energy and economic targets within Russia. On Sunday, the Financial Times reported that for months, the United States has been helping Ukraine identify and target key energy infrastructure inside Russia and in occupied Ukraine as part of a campaign aimed at Moscow’s economy. According to US and Ukrainian officials who spoke with the Financial Times, the United States has been helping the Ukrainian military and intelligence services with route planning, altitude, timing, and mission decisions.
Long-Range Fires Restrictions
The recent strike against the Feodosia oil depot and power substations is part of a sustained, long-range fires campaign by the Ukrainian forces against Russia. The Ukrainian military and intelligence services use suicide drones and missiles to hit military and military-related targets inside Russia.
Although the Ukrainian military has received robust long-range fires capabilities as part of the US-led security assistance campaign, the weapon systems come with certain limitations as to their use.
For example, the US military has transferred a number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to Ukraine. These tactical ballistic missiles can reach targets up to 300 miles and can hit military targets within Russia. However, the United States has restricted the Ukrainians from using the ATACMS against targets in Russia—with the exception of the Kursk Oblast during the recent fighting there—out of fear of escalation.
Similarly, the Ukrainians possess a number of Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles. These munitions can be paired with the Ukrainian Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcons or Dassault Mirage 2000s and strike targets deep inside Russia. However, once more, Kyiv has agreed to restrict its use of the cruise missiles against targets in occupied Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula.
Despite these limitations, the Ukrainians have displayed enviable technological ingenuity and operational cunning, using their limited means to hit high-value targets hundreds and thousands of miles inside Russia.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Vladfotograf / Shutterstock.com
