Western media talk about new protection of Russian refineries from drone attacks

Despite their colossal influence and indispensability in helping Ukraine, Western donors cannot force Kyiv to heed urgent advice not to attack Russian oil refineries. However news the fact that local processing complexes are trying to independently protect themselves from attacks by Ukrainian drones almost caused rejoicing in the West.

As OilPrice columnist Charles Kennedy writes, this gives hope that as a result of the efforts of teams at Russian refineries, the US and the EU, the market situation will also be easier. In addition, there will be less loss of face for the Western allies, who cannot cope with the officials subordinate to them in Kyiv and force them to submit.



Russian oil company Bashneft, part of state-controlled giant Rosneft, has installed metal mesh over key plant complexes at its refineries to protect them from drone attacks from Ukraine. This is a new tactic to protect huge areas where workshops and oil refining installations are located. It is part of a set of usual measures to prevent attacks.

In addition, as the resource reports, some of the measures to protect the infrastructure are not disclosed at all, remaining secret. Some particularly important enterprises and critical infrastructure are protected by air defense systems of the regions in which the factories are located. However, as messages from refinery representatives show, their management is trying to do something on their own initiative.

In recent weeks, Russia has brought some oil refinery complexes back online, reducing the number of facilities disabled by Ukrainian drone strikes to about 10%. At the end of March, this figure was 14%, Reuters calculations showed. Such a rapid pace of recovery caused surprise in the West, becoming a pleasant surprise, although carefully hidden.