Kamal Ghorui
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that the military forces have struck two “shadow fleet” oil tankers near the entrance to Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, highlighting Kyiv’s continued focus on disrupting Moscow’s energy network.“Our warriors continue to apply sanctions against the Russian shadow oil fleet, they hit two such vessels in the waters at the entrance to the port of Novorossiysk. These tankers were actively used for transporting oil– not anymore,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app.“Ukraine’s long-range capabilities will continue to be developed comprehensively – at sea, in the air, and on land,” he added.This comes after the Russian defence ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 334 Ukrainian drones overnight across around 15 regions, including areas near Moscow and the Leningrad region, home to Saint Petersburg. No casualties were reported.The attacks are part of a broader escalation in drone warfare, with Ukraine increasingly striking deep inside Russian territory.
Oil infrastructure repeatedly targeted
In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted key Russian energy sites. The oil refinery and export terminal in Tuapse, a Black Sea town about 450 kilometres from the front line, has been hit four times in just over two weeks, triggering fires, evacuations, and large plumes of smoke.In a video posted after the third attack on April 18, local governor Veniamin Kondratyev showed an emergency official saying boiling oil products had spilled onto streets, damaging vehicles.Ukraine also said it struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Perm region—over 1,500 kilometres away—on two consecutive days. Russian media reported the incident, though regional governor Dmitry Makhonin only confirmed drone hits on industrial facilities.Further north, Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, one of Russia’s largest oil and gas export terminals, was hit three times in a single week in late March. The site lies more than 800 kilometres from Ukraine. Weeks later, regional governor Alexander Drozdenko described the area around Saint Petersburg as a “front-line region” due to aerial threats.Ukraine says these strikes are inflicting heavy economic losses. Zelenskyy stated on Friday that Russia has lost at least $7 billion since the start of the year due to attacks on its oil sector, adding that exports from key ports such as Ust-Luga and Primorsk have declined.Experts say drone strikes have also disrupted refining capacity, while sanctions complicate efforts to replace damaged equipment. However, the overall impact remains uncertain, as Russia continues to benefit from rising global oil prices.According to the International Energy Agency, Russian crude and oil product exports rose by 320,000 barrels per day in March to 7.1 million barrels, with revenues nearly doubling from $9.7 billion to $19 billion.
Casualties reported in Ukraine
Meanwhile, Russian strikes in southern Ukraine have killed one person and injured four others, officials said on Sunday. In Kherson, a Russian drone hit a private company vehicle, killing a man and wounding four people, including a 63-year-old woman.A day earlier, two people were killed when a Russian drone struck a minibus in the same city, according to local officials.Both sides have significantly ramped up drone warfare in recent months. Russia has launched large-scale drone attacks on Ukraine almost nightly since its 2022 invasion, while Kyiv has intensified retaliatory strikes.Data analysed by AFP shows Russia deployed a record 6,583 long-range drones in April, surpassing March’s previous high. In late March alone, Russia said it destroyed 389 Ukrainian drones in a single day.Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, there has been little progress towards ending the conflict. Russia has proposed a ceasefire for May 9, marking its World War II victory celebrations, while Ukraine says it is still reviewing the proposal.
