UK Highlights 1 Sign Ukraine Is Increasing Its Ability To Target Russia

Kyiv is creating some "serious logistical problems" for their opponents.
Russian Emergency Ministry employees work at the side of fire of oil reservoirs after the drone reached Klintsy, a city in Bryansk Region of Russia, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Russia-Ukrainian border.
Russian Emergency Ministry employees work at the side of fire of oil reservoirs after the drone reached Klintsy, a city in Bryansk Region of Russia, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the Russia-Ukrainian border.
via Associated Press

There’s a clear sign that Ukraine has improved its ability to target Russian infrastructure, according to the UK.

In its latest update on the war, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) noted how successful Ukraine’s strikes against Russia had been over the last month.

On January 8, the Ukrainian uncrewed aerial systems – or drones – reportedly struck Kristall oil depot in Russia.

They caused “large scale fires” within the petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) storage areas just eight kilometres from the Engels-2 Airbase.

Those blazes allegedly took several days to extinguish.

The MoD also pointed to another strike allegedly conducted on January 14 which targeted the same oil depot, subsequently “reigniting the fire and causing further infrastructure damage to the site”.

The intelligence officials noted that analysis of the area from January 21 showed four destroyed POL tanks and 10 damaged POL tanks.

The MoD concluded: “The repeated strikes indicate an increased Ukrainian ability to target Russian infrastructure.”

As the Ukrainian military said after the first January strike, this is a key part of Kyiv’s attempts to defend itself, because it “creates serious logistical problems for the strategic aviation of the Russian occupiers”.

Ukraine’s military claimed the attacks “significantly reduce” Russian troops’ “ability to strike at peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian objects.”

Kyiv also said overnight that it had struck its second large Russian oil refinery in a week as part of its ongoing bid to cripple Moscow’s war goals.

Russia is trying to push more crude oil through its refineries to boost fuel exports, according to Reuters, to try and work around new US sanctions on Russian trade.

These drone attacks are forcing some companies to suspend operations.

But it’s a small win for Ukraine as the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion approaches next month.

Russia continues to advance in the east of Ukraine, moving closer to a logistics hub in the city of Pokrovsk.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s return to the White House last week has put pressure on the two sides reaching some form of peace deal.

He wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: “Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.”

Trump is yet to secure a meeting with Putin, though both parties have agreed to speak.

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