UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 754 - MARCH 17, 2024

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), special forces, and unmanned systems are said to have carried out a successful drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in the Krasnodar region on the night of March 16-17.

SBU sources informed the Ukrainian news agency Suspilne that the Ukrainian SBU, special forces, and unmanned systems attacked the atmospheric crude oil distillation columns of the Slavyansk Oil Refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in the Krasnodar region, leading to a major fire. The operational headquarters of the Krasnodar region claims that several drones attempted to attack the oil refinery in Slavyansk and that the Russian forces neutralized them, although falling drones caused a fire.

A Russian military blogger claims that two of the 17 drones attacking the Slavyansk oil refinery hit the facility. Suspilne reports that SBU drones have successfully attacked 12 oil refineries in Russia recently. A Russian military blogger says that the Ukrainian attack on the Slavyansk oil refinery was the ninth Ukrainian attack on a Russian oil refinery in the past week. Another Russian military blogger claims that Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries are more serious than attacks on fuel depots because international sanctions against Russia hinder Russia's ability to repair technologically complex oil refinery facilities.

The full Russian Offensive Update 754 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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