Ukrainian forces strike Russian gas processing plant, military says
Ukrainian forces struck a gas processing plant in Astrakhan, Russia, overnight on Dec. 15, Ukraine's General Staff reported.
According to a statement published on Facebook, Ukraine's Defense Forces hit the Astrakhan gas processing plant during overnight operations, targeting what Kyiv described as a "key enterprise in Russia's oil and gas industry." Ukrainian officials said the strike was intended to reduce Russia's capacity to produce explosives.
The General Staff said explosions were recorded at the plant, followed by a large fire. The extent of the damage has not been determined, and Russian officials have not commented on the incident.
The Astrakhan facility is one of Russia's largest producers of sulfur, generating up to 3.5 million tons annually. Sulfur is used in the production of explosives for Russia's military-industrial complex.
"The Defense Forces will continue to take measures to undermine the offensive potential of the Russian invaders and force the Russian Federation to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine," the General Staff said.
Ukrainian forces previously struck the Astrakhan gas processing plant in September, forcing the facility to halt production.
The plant is owned by Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom. Astrakhan is located about 647 kilometers (402 miles) from Ukraine's border with Russia.
