A Ukrainian drone attack forced an oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region to suspend operations Sunday, its operator and authorities said.
Facing Russia’s invasion for over two years, Ukraine has stepped up attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, targeting energy sites in particular.
“During the night, six drones fell on the territory of the refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban,” Roman Siniagovski, a regional official, wrote on Telegram.
The Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery in the Krasnodar region east of the Sea of Azov is one of the biggest in southern Russia.
“There have been strikes. The plant is currently at a standstill. We are assessing the damage,” Eduard Trutnev, the refinery head of security, told Interfax news agency.
A Ukrainian defense source said its forces targeted the refinery and the Kushchyovsky military airfield.
“This is the second attack by (Ukraine’s security service) drones on the Kushchyovsky military airfield and the Slovyansk refinery in the last three weeks,” the source said.
“Several aircraft were hit at the airfield” and the refinery complex was hit, the source added.
Separately, Russian air defense intercepted 57 Ukrainian drones on Saturday night, according to the Russian defense ministry.
It said nine ATACMS tactical missiles and one drone were shot down over Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukrainian air attacks targeted the Russian border region of Belgorod on Sunday, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
