A Ukrainian drone strike has led to the partial suspension of operations at a Russian oil refinery. The Slavyansk-on-Kuban facility, one of two oil refineries hit, was targeted early Saturday, causing substantial fire damage and potentially undisclosed hidden damage.
Eduard Trudnev, security director for the Slavyansk ECO Group, which operates the refinery, confirmed that “Exactly 10 UAVs (drones) flew directly into the plant, there was a strong fire. There may be hidden damage.” The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has been transparent about its intentions to “effectively hit military and infrastructure facilities” in Russia in an attempt to curtail Moscow’s “potential for warfare.”
The governor of Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev, acknowledged the impact of the drone strikes but reported no casualties due to the Slavyansk refinery fire. The visible effects of the attack, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that all 66 drones targeting the Krasnodar region were intercepted.
The Ukrainian strikes have not occurred in isolation. Russia, too, has intensified its strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. Overnight attacks severely damaged four thermal energy plants in Ukraine, as confirmed by DTEK, the country’s largest private energy company. The assaults resulted in significant disruption, including a power engineer sustaining a concussion, fire outbreaks, and interrupted water supplies in affected regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has highlighted the country’s need for increased air defense systems to help intercept these attacks, stating, “The world has all of the resources to assist us in intercepting every missile and drone.” The urgency for military assistance including air defense and artillery ammunition was underscored by a recent US aid package, signed into law by President Joe Biden, which includes nearly $61 billion in support for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s strikes aim to hamper Russia’s war effort through economic disruption, Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure seem calculated to weaken Ukraine’s resolve and capacity for defense.
A war is moving beyond conventional frontlines, as both nations seek to undermine each other’s ability to sustain and fund the prolonged conflict.
Relevant articles:
– Russian oil refinery partially suspends operations after drone attack, as thermal energy plants are damaged in Ukraine, edition.cnn.com, 04/28/2024
– Russian oil refineries and military airfield targeted in drone attack, as thermal energy plants are damaged in Ukraine, CNN, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 13:37:00 GMT
– Oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar suspends operations after Ukraine drone attack, says TASS, CNBC, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:54:23 GMT
– Russian Refinery Video Shows Another Large Blaze After Series of Strikes, Newsweek, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 11:08:59 GMT
– Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector, ABC News, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 10:52:30 GMT