Ukrainian drones, operated by the Special Operations Forces (SSO) and Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), hit the Ilsky Oil Refinery in Krasnodar Krai and the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in the Kavkazsky District of Kuban overnight on Feb. 17, an SBU source told the Kyiv Independent.
"The SBU and SSO of the Armed Forces continued the introduction of 'drone sanctions' against two important Russian enterprises that work for the enemy military-industrial complex," the source said.
Residents earlier posted videos on social media purportedly showing a large blaze at the refinery in the Seversky district of Krasnodar Krai. Around 1:30 a.m. local time, the sounds of explosions were also reported.
Negotiations are one thing, but Russian oil refineries won’t shut themselves down. In Russia's Krasnodar region, the Ilsky oil refinery—already targeted multiple times—was hit again. As always, observers are delighted. pic.twitter.com/JLCvHv1dOE
— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) February 16, 2025
The attack caused a fire at the plant, which includes six oil refining units with a total capacity of 6.6 million tons per year, the source said. In February 2024, SBU drones also hit this oil refinery, damaging a primary oil-refining unit worth $50 million, according to the source.
Ukrainian drones also hit the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, the largest in Russia's Caspian Pipeline Consortium. As a result of the attack, the station was taken out of operation. Oil is now being pumped out, bypassing the station, the source added.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims.
Ukraine considers Russian oil facilities to be valid military targets, as fossil fuel profits supply Moscow's war machine. The Ukrainian military has launched repeated attacks against Russian refineries with long-range drones.
Elsa Court
