Ukraine has once again targeted the Slavyansk oil refinery in Krasnodar, Russia, marking the second strike on this facility within two months.
This aggressive maneuver is part of a broader pattern of attacks on energy and military infrastructures in the region.
A Night of Intense Aerial Defense
According to the Moscow Times, the air defense forces successfully intercepted 66 drone-type aircraft over the region during the nighttime raid.
However, the Slavyansk refinery was not spared, as a fire erupted following the drone impact. Roman Sinyagovsky, head of the Slavyansk district, confirmed that the attack damaged a distillation column, although the storage tanks remained intact. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
Rapid Response Limits Damage
Local emergency services quickly addressed a small fire at the refinery, which was contained to an area of just 5 square meters.
The swift response averted larger disasters and the fire was promptly extinguished. Eduard Trudnev, Director of Integrated Safety for the Slavyansk ECO group, reported that the refinery suffered partial shutdowns due to the damage inflicted by approximately ten drones targeting their oil processing installations.
The site is currently under investigation by law enforcement, and debris is being cleared. Trudnev hinted at possible undisclosed damages and stated that assessing the full extent of the damage is premature at this point.
Regional Impacts and Wider Targets
This recent attack follows a previous incident on March 17, where the same refinery caught fire, resulting in one fatality due to a heart attack.
Additionally, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev reported that drone attacks also occurred in the Seversky and Kuschevsky districts on the same night, targeting other refineries and infrastructure facilities.
According to eyewitnesses and emergency services, another refinery in the Seversky district and a military airfield in the village of Kushchevskaya were also hit, with damages currently being assessed.
The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine has acknowledged the strikes on both the Slavyansk and Ilysk refineries as well as a bitumen plant, marking a clear and ongoing strategy targeting key industrial assets in the area.
