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Ukraine carried out overnight drone strikes on three Russian oil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea on Sunday, escalating its response to Moscow’s latest
large-scale attacks that left thousands of Ukrainians without heat or electricity. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO) released video footage showing explosive drones flying toward the offshore oil rigs before crashing into them and detonating. The platforms are owned by Lukoil, one of Russia’s largest oil companies. The oil rigs targeted were identified as the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin, and Valery Graifer platforms. Ukrainian officials said all three were struck directly.
“Direct hits have been recorded. The extent of the damage is being assessed,” Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement.
Ukraine said the oil facilities were helping support Russia’s war effort and were therefore considered legitimate military targets.
Why Did Ukraine Target Oil Rigs In Caspian Sea?
Ukrainian officials said the offshore oil platforms were contributing to Russia’s ability to continue its invasion. By targeting energy infrastructure linked to Moscow’s military supply chain, Kyiv aims to weaken Russia’s economic and logistical strength.
Ukraine has increased attacks on Russian oil and gas facilities in recent months. Similar strikes were reported in the Caspian Sea last month as part of a broader strategy to disrupt fuel supplies used by Russian forces.
In addition to the oil rig attacks, Ukraine also launched drones toward the Russian city of Voronezh on Sunday. According to regional Governor Alexander Gusev, one woman was killed and three others were injured. Russian air defenses reportedly shot down at least 17 drones over the city, which lies about 155 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The Ukrainian strikes came just two days after Russia carried out one of its largest bombardments in weeks. Russian forces launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles across Ukraine, killing at least four people in Kyiv, officials said.
The attack caused widespread power outages across the country. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported that around 30,000 residents in Kyiv were still without electricity on Sunday.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nearly 6,000 apartment buildings were left without heating as temperatures dropped to around 17 degrees Fahrenheit, creating dangerous conditions for civilians.
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Russia also used its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile during the attack, only the second time it has deployed the weapon in the nearly four-year war. The move was widely seen as a warning to both Ukraine and NATO.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned the strikes, saying they served no military purpose.
“They deliberately waited for freezing weather to make things worse for our people,” Zelensky wrote on X.
