Ukraine confirms 2 ships, oil pipeline damaged in drone strike on Russia's Krasnodar Krai
Ukrainian drones struck the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in the village of Volna, Krasnodar Krai, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Dec. 22.
The regional Emergency Headquarters reported on Dec. 21 that drone debris had damaged a pipe in Volna but did not specify that it belonged to an oil facility. Two piers and two ships docked at the village were damaged in the attack as well, according to Russian officials.
There were no casualties among the crew or shore personnel.
A source in Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent that the Ukrainian strike damaged equipment at the oil terminal, the liquefied hydrocarbon gas pier, and other port infrastructure, triggering a large-scale fire.
A pipeline, two berths, and two ships were damaged, with the fire spreading over an area of more than 1,000 square meters, according to the General Staff.
The blaze also engulfed one ship and the tank farm area.
Tamanneftegaz operates the Taman transshipment complex, handling crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied hydrocarbon gases. The complex is one of the largest in the Black Sea region.
The total capacity of its tank farm for petroleum products and liquefied gas exceeds 1 million cubic meters, the source said.
Volna is located near the Crimean Bridge, which links the occupied peninsula to mainland Russia. Constructed after Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the bridge is a critical supply and transport route for Russian forces to the occupied Ukrainian territories.
A Ukrainian missile also struck a temporary base for vessels of the 92nd River Boat Brigade in Olenivka in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on Dec. 22, the General Staff said.
Ukrainian strikes destroyed a Russian motorized rifle ammunition depot in the town of Ukraiinsk and a storage and launch site for strike drones in the city of Donetsk in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast, the statement read.
The full extent of the damage from the attacks is still being assessed, according to the General Staff.
The report comes two weeks after a Ukrainian drone attack on Krasnodar Krai's Temryuk Seaport triggered a massive three-day fire at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.
The Temryuk port is a key Russian facility in the Sea of Azov, operating an oil export terminal and a large liquefied petroleum gas facility.
In May 2023, Russian officials reported that Ukrainian drones sparked a blaze at a fuel storage facility in Volna. Videos and photos appeared on social media showing large oil tanks on fire, and authorities said the resulting fire was classified as "the highest rank of difficulty."
Ukraine regularly targets oil facilities in Russia and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories in an effort to disrupt Moscow's military logistics and supply lines.
