Major Russian oil refinery reportedly struck in Ukrainian attack
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukraine's military launched an attack on Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on Aug. 25, reportedly striking the Afipsky Oil Refinery, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
The refinery is one of the largest oil processing facilities in southern Russia, producing gasoline, diesel fuel, gas condensate distillates, heavy petroleum residues, and sulfur. The facility processes roughly 6.25 million tons of crude annually — about 2% of Russia's refining output — and has been targeted in previous Ukrainian attacks.
Photos and videos posted to social media by local residents purport to show a large fire emanating from the refinery. Air raid alerts were active in the Russian region amid the attack.
Elsewhere in Russia, active air defense was also reported near the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia's Rostov Oblast, although no damage to the facility was immediately reported.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports. Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the reported attack.
The extent of the damage caused was not immediately clear. While it was not immediately known as to what weaponry was used in the attack, Kyiv's forces regularly launch long-range drone strikes on refineries in Russia.
Ukraine has targeted its attacks on oil refineries and other energy facilities in Russia as a means to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and reduce revenues financing Moscow's war against Ukraine.
In recent months, the frequency of attacks on oil refineries has slowed, with Ukraine shifting it focus on Russia's e-commerce industry, targeting Wildberries and Ozon facilites.
On Aug. 22, Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuibyshevskyi oil refinery as well as an Ozon logistics center in Samara Oblast.
