A Russian oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Krasnodar Krai partially suspended operations following a purported Ukrainian drone attack, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on April 27.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched a drone strike against Krasnodar Krai overnight on April 27, targeting the Ilsky and Slavyansk oil refineries and a military airfield, a source in Ukraine's security and defense forces told the Kyiv Independent earlier today.
"The plant's work was partially suspended. Exactly 10 drones flew into the plant, causing a strong fire. There may be hidden damage," Eduard Trudnev, the security director of the Slavyansk ECO Group, told TASS regarding the Slavyansk refinery.
Relevant agencies are working on the scene of the incident, he added. Trudnev did not specify what exact operations have been suspended or for how long.
The security source told the Kyiv Independent that the drones hit "key technological objects" at the refinery, causing fire and evacuations of personnel.
Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on Telegram that Ukraine "attempted" to attack local oil refineries and infrastructure but claimed there were no serious damages.
According to Kondratyev, over 10 drones were intercepted over the Slavyansk, Kushchyovsky, and Seversky districts, where the said facilities are located.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia's oil industry. A large-scale attack against Russian energy infrastructure on April 20 reportedly started a fire at a fuel storage tank in Smolensk Oblast.
Strikes against Russian energy targets have prompted criticism from U.S. officials, who have made it clear that Washington does not support Ukraine's attacks on oil refineries, citing fears that it could threaten the global energy market.
In response, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv has the right to use its own weapons with retaliatory strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Dinara Khalilova
