Ukrainian forces have increased the scale, scope, and intensity of their retaliation against Russian targets. They began with a drone strike deep into Russian territory on an oil refinery in Tyumen, Siberia—more than 2,000 kilometers behind the frontline! The biggest takeaway from the strike is the growing strength of Ukraine’s military. It reflects their strong and united reaction to Russia’s continued assault.
In 2023, Russia has once again relied heavily on its illegal “shadow fleet.” This sensitive network of ships supports all types of operations including military actions. News articles confirm that these ships are used for much more than just moving material; they’re facilitating calls to action and reconnaissance for sabotage operations too. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the significance of this fleet, stating, “Recent cases of drones being launched from tankers are one such example. We are sharing this information with partners and it is important that their response to Russia be real.”
Unfortunately, the story is the same for dangerous energy infrastructure sites. A fire is burning at the Feodosiya oil terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea following a Ukrainian missile attack. This incident further complicates and upsets Russia’s energy logistics. In addition, in the past 24 hours, Russia has made 26 strikes against energy infrastructure. This highlights the ongoing, hostile strategy of their war to target and destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that a Ukrainian drone had crashed into a cooling tower at the Novovoronezh nuclear plant. This complex is located in Russia’s Voronezh oblast. This alarming incident highlights the extreme danger for nuclear facilities when military conflict escalates.
Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has taken the lead in bilateral negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Their conversations seem centered on getting off-site power restored to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s biggest nuclear facility. The plant has lost access to all outside sources of power for more than a week now. Further, the ongoing war has increased the risk of a nuclear catastrophe.
At home in Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk blasted their acute dependence on Russian energy. He warned that this reliance has made many European nations highly vulnerable. He expressed discontent over the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, claiming, “not that Nord Stream 2 was blown up, but that it was built.” This important declaration sheds light on the growing concerns that energy dependencies have significant geopolitical implications.
Germany prosecutors are currently investigating a German trained diver. He is the prime suspect behind the covert explosives planted on the Nord Stream gas pipelines carrying Russian energy to Germany. To its credit, Poland remains firm. Extraditing a Ukrainian man, sought by Germany for his possible role in the explosions, would not serve Poland’s interests, Tusk wrote.
In Ukraine, the government is scrambling to protect its gas infrastructure after an uptick in Russian airstrikes on the country’s energy assets. Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said the damage was enormous. She did note that we should increase natural gas imports by 30% to address supply shocks. “The faster we can restore production, the less we will need to import,” she stated, signaling urgency in addressing energy demands.
As tensions continue to rise, Zelenskyy noted the dual purpose of Russian tankers: “Currently, Russians are using tankers not only to earn money for the war but for reconnaissance and even sabotage activities. It is entirely possible to stop this.” This claim deserves a serious and united international response in order to combat Russia’s anti-maritime designs.