Refinery burning in Russian Tuapse following drone attack — video
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Events
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Refinery burning in Russian Tuapse following drone attack — video

The attack by drones
Source:  online.ua

A fire broke out at an oil refinery in the Russian city of Tuapse after a nighttime drone attack. 

Oil refinery attacked by two UAVs

On 17 May, two UAVs allegedly attacked an oil refinery in Tuapse in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia that caused a fire at the refinery.

The operational headquarters of the region reported that the plant was allegedly attacked by two drones, special services had already localised the fire.

The Russians traditionally blamed the Ukrainian Defence Forces for the attack.

According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. Local residents report interruptions in communication in Tuapse.

Unprecedented attack on Russia

Ukrainian expert on international energy and security relations, president of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI" Mykhailo Honchar explained the details of night fires and explosions in Russia.

More than a hundred UAVs and a certain number of maritime strike drones were involved in a complex combined attack in two environments on a number of infrastructure facilities in the occupied Crimea, as well as in Novorossiysk and Tuapse! This is the first time! And it's absolutely unprecedented! The orcs have never had such a massive scale. You cannot even imagine how difficult it was for the planners and executors of this large-scale operation! Sincere admiration! Keep up the good work!

Mykhailo Gonchar

Mykhailo Gonchar

President of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI"

Mikhail Honchar noted that the Tuapse refinery, which was damaged on the night of 24-25 January, only started operating in early May after more than 3 months of repairing the main ELOU-AVT-12 unit, and even then not at full capacity.

In January 2024, the plant was attacked by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) drones. The primary oil processing unit, namely the vacuum and atmospheric columns, was damaged. At that time, Ukrainian drones managed to damage the Russian ELOU-AVT-12 unit (ELOU-AVT: electric oil desalination and dehydration unit, atmospheric and vacuum distillation).

UAV attacks on Russian oil refineries — what is known

Since the end of January, Ukraine has been regularly striking oil refineries in Russia with long-range drones.

In total, the SSU carried out at least 13 successful attacks on Russian refineries, stated the head of the SSU, Vasyl Malyuk.

According to him, thanks to this, oil production and processing in Russia decreased by 12%. He emphasised that revenues from the export of petroleum products make up a third of the Russian budget and the "lion's share" of the military budget.

It is known about strikes on the following enterprises:

  • Tuapse Refinery, January 24

  • Volgograd Refinery, February 3

  • Afipsky Refinery, February 9

  • Illinsky Refinery, February 9

  • Refinery Lukoil-Nizhegorodnaftoorgsintez, March 12

  • Ryazan Refinery, March 13

  • Kaluga Refinery, March 15

  • Syzran Refinery, March 16

  • Kuibyshevsky Refinery, March 16

  • Slavyansk Refinery, March 17

  • Novokuibyshevsky Refinery, March 23

  • TANECO Refinery, April 2

  • Ilsky Oil Refinery, April 27

  • Slavyansk Refinery, April 27

  • Ryazan Refinery, May 2

  • Refinery Gazprom Naftokhim Salavat, May 9

  • Kaluga Refinery, May 10.

Drones have attacked Rosneft's Tuapsyn Refinery before

Category
Economics
Publication date

Russian oligarch turns out to be one of Elon Musk's SpaceX investors

Suleiman Kerimov
Source:  Bloomberg

Russian oligarch and billionaire Suleiman Kerimov owned a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX companies, even while under sanctions imposed on him during Donald Trump's first presidential term.

Points of attention

  • Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov, owning a stake in SpaceX, sheds light on the intricate financial networks and challenges faced by American companies amidst sanctions and global politics.
  • The investment in SpaceX, facilitated through the Heritage Trust and involving Citigroup's administration, raises questions about due diligence and the effectiveness of sanctions enforcement.
  • Kerimov's vast fortune, accumulated through investments in various industries, comes under scrutiny amidst sanctions imposed by the US and the EU, highlighting his controversial background and involvement.
  • The complexities surrounding Kerimov's investments and the US investigation into Citigroup's handling of the Heritage Trust reflect the ongoing battle to regulate financial activities and uphold international sanctions.
  • The revelation of Kerimov's involvement as an investor in SpaceX underscores the challenges of monitoring complex financial structures and the implications for global defense and communications sectors.

What is known about the Russian oligarch's investment in SpaceX

According to the publication's sources, Kerimov has owned a stake in SpaceX through the Heritage Trust since 2017.

Initially, this trust owned 1% of SpaceX shares.

The SpaceX holding company began operations a year before the US Treasury imposed sanctions against Kerimov and other Russian oligarchs in 2018.

The US Treasury Department blocked Kerimov's assets and banned the Russian oligarch from cooperating with American companies.

The Heritage Trust was administered by Citigroup, which decided that there was no need to block the trust and its related entities after Kerimov was sanctioned, and the trust continued to operate.

Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov owned a stake in Elon Musk's SpaceX
Suleiman Kerimov

Already in June 2022, the US Treasury Department blocked a $1 billion trust that was created in 2017 for Kerimov's assets in the US.

This happened after investigators uncovered a complex structure of legal companies and front individuals created to conceal Kerimov's influence over Heritage Trust.

The publication's journalists note that this demonstrates the obstacles that intricate financial networks create for US attempts to uphold sanctions, and the problems faced by companies like SpaceX, which is now valued at around $350 billion and is becoming an increasingly influential player in global defense and communications.

They also raise questions about due diligence at Citigroup, the international banking giant currently under investigation by the US Department of Justice over its handling of the Heritage Trust.

What is known about the fortune of Russian oligarch Kerimov?

According to Bloomberg, Kerimov is in 17th place among the richest Russian oligarchs.

He ranks 282nd in the overall ranking with a net worth of about $9.9 billion.

Kerimov made his fortune by buying stakes in Russian companies, particularly in the banking, energy, and mining industries, sometimes using loans from state-owned banks.

The EU imposed sanctions on Kerimov in 2022, calling him a member of the inner circle of oligarchs close to Putin.

In April 2018, the US imposed sanctions on Kerimov, freezing his assets and banning US transactions with him as part of the Trump administration's broad-based efforts to hold Russian officials and oligarchs accountable for profiting from corruption and foreign aggression.

In April 2022, the US seized the 100-meter superyacht Amadea in Fiji, which Kerimov controls through a number of shell companies.

In September 2022, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the entire Russian Senate, including Kerimov, for approving Putin's request to send troops into Ukraine and providing an "unjustified pretext" for a full-scale invasion.

Category
World
Publication date

Emphasis on the "special contingent". The DIU explored the details of the 2025 mobilization in Russia

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine
“special forces”

This year, the Russian Federation plans to mobilize more than 126,000 soldiers from the "special contingent." These are people who have debts, are in prison, and have other problems.

Points of attention

  • Russia plans to mobilize over 126,000 soldiers from the 'special contingent' in 2025, consisting of individuals with various issues such as debts and legal problems.
  • To cover losses in the war against Ukraine, Russia aims to mobilize at least 280,000 occupiers, showcasing the extent of the ongoing conflict.
  • Since the beginning of the war, Russia has lost more than 835,000 soldiers, highlighting the significant human cost of the conflict.
  • During recent clashes, Ukrainian military forces eliminated 1,270 invaders from the Russian army, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing battles.
  • The involvement of North Korean soldiers in the fighting in the Kursk region sheds light on the complex dynamics of the conflict and the potential for further escalations.

Russia plans to mobilize over 126,000 “special forces”

According to DIU, to make up for losses in 2025, Russia plans to mobilize at least 126,000 soldiers from the so-called "special contingent" for war.

We are talking about Russians who are serving sentences in prisons, are under investigation, have loan arrears, and have other problems.

On average, to cover losses, the terrorist country plans to mobilize 10,000 people from the "special contingent" every month.

In total, to replace the losses of existing military units and formations in the war against Ukraine, the aggressor state Russia intends to mobilize at least 280,000 occupiers in 2025, Ukrainian intelligence adds.

Russia's losses in the war against Ukraine

Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia has lost more than 835,000 soldiers.

According to the General Staff, 158 clashes took place on the front during January 29. The Ukrainian military eliminated another 1,270 invaders from the criminal army of the Russian Federation.

In particular, the enemy has involved military personnel from North Korea in the fighting in the Kursk region. As Western media recently reported, Russia has lost about 4,000 "North Koreans" killed and wounded. At the same time, there is a possibility that the enemy will send reinforcements to the Kursk region in the near future.

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