Ukrainian Drone Attack Damages Russian Oil Refinery

Russia's Black Sea Tuapse oil refinery, owned by Rosneft, was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack, officials reported. Debris sparked a fire, now contained, with no casualties. It's unclear if the refinery is operational or the damage extent. Multiple drone attacks have targeted the refinery since the war began.

Russia's Black Sea Tuapse oil refinery, owned by oil major Rosneft, was damaged overnight in a drone attack by Ukrainian forces, officials from the Krasnodar region reported on Monday.

According to the regional administration, debris from a downed drone ignited a fire at the refinery, which has since been controlled. No casualties were reported.

The operational status of the refinery and the extent of the damage remain unclear. Russia's defence ministry noted its air defence systems intercepted 75 Ukrainian drones, including eight near Tuapse.

This refinery has faced numerous Ukrainian air assaults since the conflict with Ukraine began in 2022. Reports from Russian Telegram news channels indicated that blasts were heard near the refinery early Monday.

Russian authorities seldom disclose comprehensive details of damage from Ukrainian attacks. The defence ministry earlier mentioned that 47 drones were downed over the Rostov region, 17 over Black and Azov seas, eight near Tuapse, and several in other regions.

The defence ministry did not confirm whether its systems successfully destroyed the drones. Vasily Golubev, Rostov region's governor, reported that no one was injured, and no significant damage occurred.

Reuters has not independently verified these claims, and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Kyiv maintains that its attacks on Russia's infrastructure are retaliatory measures against ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)