Ukraine Strikes Caspian Sea for the First Time, Damaging Lukoil Platform

Ukraine continues to expand its assault against Russia’s oil industry, reporting its first strikes on the oil operations in the Caspian Sea. Unconfirmed reports indicate that Lukoil was forced to suspend operations at the site, which is the largest in the Caspian region.

The Alpha Special Operations Center of Ukraine’s Security Service announced the operation, which took place early on December 11. They reported using long-range drones and said there were at least four impacts on the massive Filanovsky platform in the northern area of the Caspian Sea. Reports are highlighting that the drones, if launched from Ukraine, would have had to travel nearly 450 miles.

Lukoil discovered the reserves in 2005 and highlighted that its unique geology, with highly permeable collectors, was yielding record-high initial flow rates. In 2021, they reported production in excess of 30 million tonnes, with reports that the field is currently producing 120,000 barrels per day. The field is reported to have extensive reserves of both oil and gas. The reports said product was halted at 20 wells after today's strikes.

“The SBU continues successful special operations against the Russian oil and gas sector, constantly expanding its geography,” a spokesperson told the Ukrainian media. The point out that the strikes are both impacting the oil reserves for the Russian army and inflicting economic losses on the oil revenues, which Russia uses to fund the war in Ukraine.

Neither the Russian authorities nor Lukoil confirmed the reports of the attack, nor that production was interrupted. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed, however, to have downed 287 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukraine has struck multiple oil terminals, production facilities, refineries, and pipelines in its efforts to interrupt the Russian oil trade. Recently, it also began attacks on shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea. Russia has been able to quickly recover from the strikes and has retaliated with its own strikes on Ukraine’s energy supply as part of the expanded campaigns in recent months.