NYT report reveals increased CIA intelligence support for Ukraine strikes on Russian refineries

According to a report from the New York Times, US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe not only protected the agency’s activities in Ukraine but also kept the number of personnel in the country at full capacity and increased the funds allocated to programs.

According to the report, a mechanism described as a “parallel weapon” on the field was activated. In this context, CIA and US military officials were given permission to share target intelligence and provide other support for Ukraine UAV attacks against critical components of the Russian defense industry.

Among the targets are factories producing chemicals (“energetics”) used in explosives and oil industry facilities.

It was determined that refineries are the “Achilles’ heel”

US military officials met with their counterparts at the CIA in June to plan a more coordinated Ukraine operation.

According to the plan, attacks would focus only on oil refineries, and instead of storage tanks, refineries in the position of the “Achilles’ heel” would be targeted.

A CIA expert identified a special connection part (coupler) in refineries that is extremely difficult to replace or repair and could disable the facility for weeks.

Officials decided not to supply weapons and equipment in order not to attract reaction and not to consume the resources demanded by Vance’s allies for other priorities.

Support for the operation and emphasis on ‘leverage’ from Trump

As the operation began to yield results, Ratcliffe frequently discussed the issue with President Donald Trump, with whom he played golf on Sundays.

According to US officials, Trump praised the secret role America played in these blows dealt to Russia’s energy industry. Trump stated that the Russian President continued to “stall” him and conveyed to Ratcliffe that these operations provided him with deniability and leverage.

It was stated that the CIA was also authorized to provide support for Ukraine UAV attacks against “shadow fleet” ships in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

According to the US intelligence estimate, attacks against energy infrastructure would cost the Russian economy up to 75 million dollars a day.

The CIA would also be given authority to help in Ukraine unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against “shadow fleet” ships in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Natural gas queues would begin to form throughout Russia.

A senior US official said, “We found something that works,” and then added, “We do not know for how long it will work.”

Ukraine began bombing Russian refineries with UAVs relatively regularly from late 2023, but before the current wave of intense attacks, this number varied between one and nine per month.

According to the assessment of energy data analysis company Kpler, as a result of the attacks, the daily average oil processing volume in Russia retreated to approximately 5 million barrels, and there is a “risk of further decline.”

Data belonging to previous years showed that the country processed 5.3 to 5.5 million barrels of oil per day at the end of autumn.