Ukrainian forces strike Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea, targeting critical energy infrastructure amid ongoing conflict.
The Ukrainian army announced on Sunday that it had carried out a new series of long-range drone attacks on Russian oil platforms located in the Caspian Sea. It was stated that the attacks are the latest link in operations targeting Russia's vulnerable energy infrastructure.
According to the statement from the Ukrainian General Staff, the oil platforms named V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin, and Valery Graifer, owned by the sanctioned Russian energy company Lukoil, were the targets of the attacks. The statement noted that the drones directly hit the platforms, and damage assessment efforts are ongoing.
Responsibility Taken by Special Operations Forces
The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF). In a statement made by the SOF, it was emphasized that Lukoil's energy activities provide fuel to the Russian army, and the following was stated:
'The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces continue their asymmetric actions aimed at strategically depleting the enemy's capacity to conduct warfare against Ukraine.'
Previously Targeted
Ukrainian military sources recalled that multiple attacks had been carried out against Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea in December, and the Filanovsky and Graifer fields had been targeted before.
Energy Infrastructure at the Center of the War
Russia's oil and gas facilities are among the primary targets for Ukraine. The Kyiv administration emphasizes that energy exports are one of the main sources of revenue financing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In this context, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly targeted refineries, pipelines, oil platforms, marine loading terminals, ports, and tankers to reduce Russian oil revenues.
In response, the Russian army has conducted attacks on Ukraine's electrical grid, heating infrastructure, gas storage and distribution facilities, ports, and the commercial bulk cargo ship traffic that plays a critical role in Ukraine's agricultural economy's food exports.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
