Ukraine hits 'strategically important' oil infrastructure in Russia, General Staff confirms
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian forces struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai and the "8-N" oil pipeline control station near the village of Naitopovichi in Bryansk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Sept. 7.
Both facilities are involved in supplying fuel to Russian troops invading Ukraine, according to the General Staff.
In recent months, Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks against Russia's energy infrastructure in an effort to put economic pressure on Moscow and undermine its ability to finance the war.
The "8-N" control station sustained multiple strikes, with a fire erupting near its pumping station and tank farm, according to Ukraine's military.
The strike was conducted overnight on Sept. 7 by Ukraine's Missile Forces and Artillery and the Unmanned Systems Forces, in coordination with other branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The facility is part of the "Steel Horse" oil pipeline complex, which has a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons and is considered strategically important for transporting fuel to Russian forces, according to the General Staff.
Ukraine's top drone warfare commander, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, said the "8-N" facility is also strategically important for transporting oil products from Belarusian refineries to Russia, particularly from the Mozyr and Novopolotsk plants.
Explosions and a fire were also reported at the Ilsky oil refinery, which processes 6.42 million tons of oil annually and supplies the Russian military, according to the General Staff.
The strike was carried out by the Special Operations Forces. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, the statement read.
Located roughly 500 kilometers (311 miles) from Ukrainian-controlled territory, the refinery is among the largest in southern Russia, producing over 6 million tons of fuel annually.
Reports of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities surfaced on Russian social media prior to an official confirmation. Photos and videos circulating on social media appeared to show a large fire rising from the refinery in Krasnodar Krai.
Officials in the Krasnodar Krai previously claimed that a technological workshop had caught fire at the refinery, adding that no casualties had been reported.
Beyond targeting oil infrastructure, Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces also struck Russian personnel positions and logistics depots in Kursk Oblast.
Ukraine has intensified long-range strikes against Russian energy facilities, targeting refineries and depots to cut into Moscow's war funding.
Kyiv has previously struck the Ilsky Oil Refinery on multiple occasions — most recently on July 7 when a drone struck one of the facility's technological workshops, a source in Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) told the Kyiv Independent.
Krasnodar Krai, a strategic region along Russia's Black Sea coast, has increasingly come under Ukrainian drone attacks as Kyiv extends the range of its strikes deep into Russian territory.
In August alone, Ukraine struck at least 12 refineries, shutting down facilities representing over 17% of national processing capacity, or 1.1 million barrels per day.
