One of Russia’s largest oil refineries, the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Krai, was damaged in an overnight drone attack. The governor of the region, Veniamin Kondratyev, reported that administrative buildings at the refinery were damaged. The refinery has the capacity to refine 6.6 million tons of crude oil per year. Kondratyev blamed the attack on the “criminal Kyiv regime” and mentioned casualties among the workers at the facility, who were receiving medical care. A fire that broke out at the refinery due to falling drone debris was quickly extinguished.
The reported attack on the refinery is part of a larger campaign of strikes on Russia’s oil refineries claimed by the Security Service of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate. Russian officials stated that Ukrainian drones struck two other oil refineries in recent days. At least 40 Russian oil depots and refineries have been targeted by drones since the beginning of the year, including some of the nation’s largest facilities. Ukrainian officials have justified targeting these refineries as they support President Putin’s war economy.
Reports indicate that the Pentagon has asked Ukraine to refrain from targeting oil hubs to prevent possible disruption to the global fuel market. The recent attacks have disrupted at least 14 percent of Russian oil refinery capacity, according to the Pentagon’s intelligence agency. On the other hand, Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that they downed over 100 drones launched by Ukraine in an attempt to carry out terrorist attacks on Russian territory. The ministry reported that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed numerous drones over different regions.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated with attacks on critical infrastructure, including oil refineries. The use of drones in these attacks highlights the changing nature of modern warfare and the increasing sophistication of non-state actors in conducting military operations. The targeting of oil refineries by both sides in the conflict indicates the strategic importance of energy resources in the conflict. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely and assess the potential impact of these attacks on global energy markets. Newsweek remains committed to providing in-depth coverage and analysis of the Russia-Ukraine war and other important world news stories.
