Ukrainian drone strike halts operations at Russia's Krasnodar Krai oil station, authorities claim
Ukrainian drones attacked the Kavkazskaya oil pumping station in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on March 19, damaging infrastructure and causing fire, pro-Kremlin news outlet Shot and regional authorities claimed.
The attack reportedly damaged a pipeline connecting storage tanks, sparking a fire that covered an area of about 20 square meters.
The regional operational headquarters confirmed that 30 on-duty personnel were evacuated and that the facility suspended operations. No casualties have been reported.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. The Ukrainian military has not commented on the reported attacks.
The Kavkazskaya oil transshipment point is crucial in Russia's energy exports, connecting a railroad oil terminal and the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station. It is part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium system, which pumps up to 6 million metric tons of oil annually.
The strike follows Ukraine's Feb. 17 drone attack on the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station, also in Krasnodar Krai, where seven drones reportedly hit key infrastructure.
Kyiv has intensified its campaign against Russia's energy and military infrastructure to disrupt Moscow's war effort. On March 17, Ukrainian drones struck a fuel and energy facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, igniting a fire, regional Governor Igor Babushkin claimed.
The attack comes amid talks about a possible halt on mutual strikes against energy targets. The same night, Russia launched 145 drones and six missiles against Ukraine, inflicting civilian casualties and damaging infrastructure.
Ukraine has consistently targeted Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites, aiming to limit Russia's ability to sustain its full-scale invasion.
Olena Goncharova
