Today's mass attack on Ukraine is unlikely to be a result of strikes on oil refineries in Russia. Moreover, the shelling of the Dnipro HPP dam is more likely a mistake by the occupiers than a planned action, says Oleksandr Kharchenko, Director of the Energy Industry Research Center, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
"As for the version that this is a response to the shelling of Russian refineries, I definitely don't believe that this is a direct response. This attack has been prepared for a long time. Dozens of objects were programmed for attacks. As for hitting DniproHES, I think it's their mistake. They were aiming at high-voltage equipment and directly at accessible machine rooms on the surface. Hitting the dam is most likely a mistake because, obviously, they know rockets could not harm the dam," he said.
However, according to the expert, the nature of the attack is very calculated.
"To be honest, I don't believe that they could have prepared such a 'response' during the time that has passed since the beginning of our attacks on refineries. In my opinion, it's unrealistic. Maybe they were preparing for this attack and decided to maximize its use, including to provoke and intimidate Ukraine's partners," Kharchenko noted.
Russian strike on Dnipro HPP
Russian forces launched a combined strike on Ukraine on March 22, using around 150 missiles and drones. Particularly, Zaporizhzhia was hit by missiles approximately 20 times.
Dnipro HPP was also under attack, with one missile hitting a trolley bus moving across the dam. In total, the aggressors directed 8 missiles at the station, two of which hit directly.
Attacks on oil refineries in Russia
In recent weeks, Ukrainian defense forces have successfully attacked oil refineries in Russia. The consequences of such shelling have been critical enough for the Russian Ministry of Energy to acknowledge the halt in fuel production at several oil refineries and announce the search for a solution to the problem.
Although the US has urged Kyiv to stop attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, warning that drone strikes could lead to an increase in global oil prices, Ukraine considers oil refineries in Russia legitimate targets for strikes.
The Insider calculated that in 2024, there were 15 drone attacks on 13 oil refineries in nine regions of Russia. Eight facilities suffered significant damage as a result.