News Feed, Russia, Rostov Oblast, oil refineries, Russian oil industry, Drone attack

Explosions, oil refinery fire reported in Russia's Rostov Oblast

by Abbey Fenbert June 6, 2024 2:34 AM 2 min read

Flames come out of the tower of an oil refinery plant. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A fire broke out at Russia's Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery following a series of explosions in Rostov Oblast in the early hours of June 6, according to Russian media.

Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev claimed the fire was caused by a drone attack, and said emergency services were at work on the scene.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry, which is crucial to sustaining Moscow's war efforts.

The local Telegram news channel Rostov News posted video footage of the fire at the Novoshakhtinsk facility. Golubev said information about potential casualties was still being investigated.

Ukrainian troops targeted the facility in a previous attack this spring. Military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov said on March 13 that the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery partially shut down as a result of a drone strike.

Rostov Oblast borders Ukraine to the southeast. Reports of drone attacks against the region's oil industry have increased in spring 2024.

The CEO of Russia's state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, asked the Kremlin in May to approve tax breaks to offset the cost of preventing drone attacks on the company's oil refineries.

Author: Abbey Fenbert

Let’s see how far we can go?

We’ve been amazed by your support. We’ve reached our initial goal of finding 1,000 new paying members. We still have till the end of our birthday campaign — with more support, we can do even more good journalism. Over 13,000 people are standing behind us. Can we count on you, too?

Show us support this birthday month

Become a member

Comments

News Feed

5:05 AM

Yermak-led delegation meets with Trump's team in Washington, Reuters reports.

The delegation, which reportedly included Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, met with incoming U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Ukraine peace envoy Keith Kellogg, a source told Reuters.

4:18 AM

84 arrested in UK-led crypto laundering investigation involving Russian oligarchs, spies.

The United Kingdom's National Crime Agency (NCA) announced on Dec. 4 that it had dismantled a multibillion-dollar money laundering scheme that has enabled criminal networks, including Russian spies and oligarchs, to evade sanctions using cryptocurrency.

1:49 AM

Colombian man arrested in Romania for acting on Russian orders to plot infrastructure attack.

The suspect reportedly carried out reconnaissance missions, photographing and recording potential targets he intended to destroy with explosives or fire, Romanian prosecurors allege.

11:58 PM

Blinken confirms Ukraine to receive $50 billion transfer from frozen Russian assets.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed during a briefing that the transfer is part of a coordinated effort between the U.S. and EU to support Ukraine.

10:57 PM

US enforces visa restrictions on Russian officials linked to Ukrainian child deportations.

Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself.

9:59 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine's new Palianytsia missile-drone enters serial production, minister says

9:18 PM

Ukrainian businesses increasingly look beyond diesel for backup power as blackouts begin again.

As Ukraine begins yet another winter with rolling blackouts and freezing temperatures, businesses are increasingly looking beyond diesel generators to fuel their operations during power cuts, business leaders said at the Energy Security Dialogue 2024 on Dec. 4.

9:01 PM

Ukraine preparing sanctions against Georgian government amid crackdown on pro-EU protests.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Georgian authorities "are pushing the country into clear dependence on Russia."

8:26 PM

House Speaker rejects Biden's request for additional $24 billion in Ukraine aid.

"It is not the place of Joe Biden to make that decision now, we have a newly elected president, and we are going to wait and take the new commander in chief’s direction on all that, so I don’t expect any Ukraine funding to come up now," U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said.

7:53 PM

Drones

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine are surging — how bad can it get?

7:22 PM

Ukrainian drone hits special police regiment building in Chechnya, Kadyrov claims.

A drone attack hit a special police regiment building in the center of the city of Grozny in the Chechen Republic on Dec. 4, Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov claimed, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported.

6:33 PM

Ukraine state-owned enterprises weekly — Issue 156

6:29 PM

Video

Could Ukraine build a nuclear bomb? We asked an expert.

The Kyiv Independent’s reporter Oleg Sukhov sat down with Robert Kelley to discuss whether the weapon Ukraine gave up would be of much use now and if the country still has the capacity to produce a nuclear device.

6:18 PM

Ukraine has 'hard decisions' to make about further mobilization, Blinken says.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described mobilization as "critical" for Ukraine, adding that despite having funds and ammunition, people are needed to repel Russian aggression.

5:47 PM

Ukraine Business Roundup — Historic tax increase signed 44 days late

5:42 PM

Russia gathers 300 boats to cross Dnipro River amid attempted attacks in Kherson Oblast, military says.

Russian troops are storming the Kherson direction in an attempt to gain a foothold on some islands in the Dnipro River delta, Vladyslav Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Southern Command, told Suspilne on Dec. 4.

5:23 PM

Ukraine’s gas transit operator prepared for Russian attacks after transit deal expires, operator says.

With a deal to transport Russian gas through Ukraine expiring at the end of 2024, Ukraine’s gas transit network could soon come under Russian attacks, warned Dmytro Lyppa, CEO of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine.

5:14 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 3

3:39 PM

Russia’s Oreshnik strike aftermath was a carefully orchestrated psyop, media reports.

The propaganda offensive was coordinated between government, military, and intelligence officials, as well as PR experts, the Moscow Times wrote.

3:19 PM

Bulgaria supplies arms, ammunition to Ukraine in its 7th aid delivery.

The exact list of supplies, provided in accordance with a decision on military support in late 2022, remains classified.

2:51 PM

NATO must provide 'whatever air defense we can give' to Ukraine, Rutte says.

NATO countries will do all they can to provide Ukraine with air defenses necessary to protect its infrastructure but there is no surplus of such systems, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 4.

2:05 PM

Controversial bill on state leaks fails to pass parliament.

The legislation was lambasted by the media and activists as an attempt to hamper investigations into corruption and other illicit activities by officials.

2:02 PM

Opinion

Explosions, oil refinery fire reported in Russia's Rostov Oblast

Most popular

Turkey won't support peace plan with territorial concessions, Ukrainian lawmaker says

Better late than never: Israeli companies finally reach out to Ukraine to help fight Iranian drones

Investigation: Who helped Russians increase production of domestic attack drones despite sanctions

Zelensky suggests ending 'hot phase' of war in exchange for NATO membership without occupied territories

Alleged Russian plan sees Ukraine 'cut' into 3 parts, intelligence source says