On the night of January 25, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) drones attacked the Rosneft oil refinery in the city of Tuapse in Russia's Krasnodar region. Ukrainian expert on international energy and security relations, president of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI", Mykhailo Gonchar, explained why this special operation became a severe new problem for Moscow.
The SSU damaged a unique Russian facility for the primary process of petroleum products
According to Mykhailo Gonchar, it is about the ЕЛОУ-АВТ-12 installation (ЕЛОУ-АВТ: installation of electric desalination and dehydration of oil, atmospheric and vacuum distillation).
It is essential to understand that it is designed for the volume of oil raw materials of 12 million tons annually.
The expert draws attention to the fact that this is precisely the capacity of the Tuapse Refinery after modernisation, which took place ten years ago. This plant is the most modern in the Rosneft corporate empire of Igor Sechin [one of the closest to Putin — Ed.].
In addition, it is emphasised that there are only six installations of similar power on the planet. That is, on the territory of the Russian Federation, it is the most powerful of all existing ones and was developed according to the Chevron Lummus Global project.
The installation allows for the production of fuel (including jet fuel for subsonic aviation) with export quality. A Tuapse Refinery is export-oriented in order to replenish the war budget with appropriate deductions. Taking into account the geography of the refinery location, it is logical to assume that some of the products (diesel or kerosene) were also used for the needs of the occupying forces of the Rashist people in the south, — explains Mykhailo Gonchar.
According to the expert, this was a significant target that the SSU hit successfully.
Putin personally opened the installation in Tuapse
What is essential to understand is that ELOU-AVT-12 is such a powerful unit that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin personally came to its opening in 2013.
The modernisation of the Tuapse Refinery is a powerful impetus for the development of the economy of southern Russia. The commissioning of the first stage of the plant will provide 400 new jobs, and after the end of construction, their number will increase to 700, — the Russian authorities stated at the time.
It was then that it became known that the specified installation was located on slightly more than two hectares.
Today is an extraordinary event, it indicates that the Russian oil and gas complex is increasing its high-tech potential... I want to congratulate you on this step, it is very significant and serious. This is an important measure related to the modernization of the entire Russian economy, Putin boasted at the time.
