Ukraine’s elite special forces unit, known as “Deep Strike,” staged a significant attack on one of Russia’s major oil refineries, dealing a blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s financial resources. The covert operation targeted the Volgorod Oil Refinery, a key energy facility operated by Lukoil, which has been repeatedly attacked this year. The assault led to a temporary shutdown in September, causing substantial financial losses.
The Deep Strike unit, renowned for its ability to conduct operations deep within enemy territory, carried out airstrikes on the Volgograd Oil Refinery and a major power plant in Moscow. In another attack, drones targeted the Kostroma GRES power plant in Volgorechensk, triggering a large fire. These coordinated strikes have intensified efforts by Kyiv’s special forces to disrupt Putin’s financial backing for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Ukraine continues to focus on dismantling Russia’s energy infrastructure, a primary source of funding for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The recent attack on the Volgograd oil refinery underscores Kyiv’s determination to pressure Russia into ending hostilities and pursuing peace efforts. Reports and images shared on the Telegram messaging platform depicted drones and rockets heading towards the refinery, causing damage to nearby buildings and homes.
Tragically, a civilian lost his life due to shrapnel from the attack, highlighting the human cost of the ongoing conflict. Additionally, Ukraine’s Atesh partisan movement revealed that one of its operatives within the Russian 115th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade sabotaged a military truck to prevent its deployment to the besieged city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine.
The deteriorating morale among Russian troops has prompted calls for defection by the Atesh group, citing mistreatment and abuses by Russian commanders. Atesh’s social media posts encourage Russian soldiers to resist oppressive orders and seek alternatives to avoid unnecessary harm. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s SBU spy agency is actively pursuing Russian informants who collaborate with the Kremlin, particularly those involved in revealing targets for drone strikes, with a focus on protecting civilians.
By prioritizing strategic strikes on Russian energy assets and disrupting military operations, Ukraine aims to weaken Russia’s ability to sustain its aggression in Ukraine and compel Moscow to seek peaceful resolutions.
