Ukraine has recently increased its drone attacks on Russian oil...

Ukraine has recently increased its drone attacks on Russian oil refinery & oil & gas storage facilities (located within c. 900kms from the Ukrainian frontline).
This is not only reducing Russian fuel exports, but is also causing shortages in Russia- which amazingly, has caused Russia to import more gasoline products.

Could these Ukrainian attacks continue, & be ramped up significantly, throughout 2024? If so, there is a reasonable chance that demand for thermal coal, & thus thermal coal prices, may eventually rise.

Reuters 27.3.24 said

"Russia has increased gasoline imports from neighbouring Belarus in March to tackle the risk of shortages in its domestic market because of unscheduled repairs at Russian refineries after drone attacks, four industry and trade sources said on Wednesday.

Usually Russia is a net exporter of fuel and a supplier to international markets, but the disruption of Russian refining has forced oil companies to import.

Already Russia banned gasoline exports from March 1 to try to secure enough fuel for its domestic market after repeated Ukrainian droneattackson Russian refineries since the start of the year.Russia normally imports very little fuel from Belarus, although it turned to it last August-to-October, when it faced fuel shortages that led to a rapid rise in gasoline prices and prompted another oil product export ban".

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-increases-gasoline-imports-belarus-domestic-supplies-shrink-2024-03-27/#:~:text=MOSCOW%2C%20March%2027%20(Reuters),trade%20sources%20said%20on%20Wednes
(Google the words in the above link to read it, in full)

Ukraine has stated 2 months ago it will soon increase its own home-manufactured drone numbers to 1m+ pa (not just suicide bomber drones, but also surveillance drones etc.); & Ukraine has said it will continue to increase these attacks (even though most of the noisy, "slow" drones are shot down before reaching their targets- the few that do get through cause great damage to the Russian oil & gas facilities).

The USA is concerned these attacks will increase the cost of oil & gas; & the Financial Times reported this worries the Biden administration, in an election year.