Ukrainian drones reportedly strike major oil refinery, key port in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Drones struck Russia’s Krasnodar Krai overnight on March 14, hitting the Afipsky oil refinery and sparking a large fire, according to Russian media and local officials.
Residents reported hearing dozens of explosions beginning around 1 a.m. local time as air defense systems were activated and sirens sounded across the region.
Local authorities said the refinery was damaged, allegedly by falling drone debris, adding that no casualties had been reported as of the latest updates.
According to reports, the strike hit a key processing unit at the facility, igniting a major blaze and causing a gas leak from a nearby overpass structure.
The Afipsky refinery—one of the largest in southern Russia—has been targeted repeatedly in previous drone attacks. The plant processes about 6.25 million tons of oil annually, accounting for 2.1% of Russia's refining output.
Russian authorities also reported a separate drone attack on the Port Kavkaz facility in the Krasnodar Krai region, where three people were injured and a technical vessel was damaged after drone debris fell on the dock complex.
The Kavkaz port, located on the Chushka Spit in the Kerch Strait, is one of Russia's largest passenger ports. Its main task is to serve the Kerch ferry crossing in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Local residents additionally reported another drone strike in the city of Tolyatti in Russia’s Samara Oblast targeting the KuibyshevAzot chemical plant, though the extent of damage there remains unclear.
Ukraine routinely launches deep strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia, primarily relying on domestically developed drones.
Kyiv continues to escalate its campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure, a key source of Moscow's revenues helping to fuel its war against Ukraine.
