Key facts
- Ukraine struck the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl Oblast on July 16.
- The refinery is one of Russia's largest and the largest in its central region, with an annual crude oil processing capacity of 15 million metric tons.
- Ukrainian forces also targeted multiple Russian vessels, including tankers and a patrol ship, in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
- Additional strikes hit an oil terminal and fuel depot in Kerch, an oil depot and railway bridge in occupied Donetsk Oblast, and a road bridge in Kursk Oblast.
- These attacks are part of Ukraine's campaign to disrupt Russian military and energy targets, weaken its war-fighting capability, and circumvent sanctions.
Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian military and energy targets, striking the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery in Yaroslavl Oblast and multiple vessels in the Black and Azov seas. The General Staff confirmed the July 16 attack on the refinery, one of Russia's largest, which resulted in a fire. Overnight on July 17, Ukrainian forces hit two tankers, a gas carrier, and a tugboat in the Black and Azov seas, as well as a patrol ship in Kerch, occupied Crimea. These actions are part of a broader effort to disrupt Russian fuel supplies to occupied regions, circumvent sanctions, and weaken Moscow's war-fighting capability. Additional strikes targeted an oil terminal and fuel depot in Kerch, an oil depot and railway bridge in occupied Donetsk Oblast, and a road bridge in Kursk Oblast. Commander Robert Brovdi stated that over the past 10 days, 117 ships in the Azov Sea and 42 in the Black Sea have been targeted. Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov suggested that these strikes could lead to Crimea becoming 'fully isolated'.