Ukrainian drone strike sparks fire at major Russian oil refinery

A Ukrainian drone strike ignited a blaze at a significant Russian oil refinery in Kirishi, situated along the Baltic Sea coast, according to Bloomberg on Sunday. This incident marks the continuation of a series of record-breaking strikes on the country's refining infrastructure. Russian air defenses managed to shoot down 62 drones over the Leningrad region, as reported by Governor Alexander Drozdenko.

One of the destroyed drones crashed near the Kirishi refinery, igniting a fire which was eventually put out. No injuries were recorded in the incident. This attack occurs as the facility was gearing up to restart operations after undergoing repairs following the strikes in March and May. Positioned southeast of St. Petersburg and approximately 1,000 kilometers north of Kyiv, the Surgutneftegas-owned refinery is capable of processing around 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily.

It is primarily responsible for producing diesel, gasoline, and fuel oil, with a substantial portion of its output being marketed for export. Ukraine has launched over 20 assaults on Russian refineries in August, representing the highest monthly figure since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion in February 2022. This intensified campaign has disrupted fuel supplies and contributed to gasoline shortages in several Russian regions.

In response, Moscow announced on Saturday the extension of its ban on diesel exports aimed at safeguarding domestic fuel stockpiles amidst ongoing attacks on refining facilities. The latest strike is part of a broader exchange of drone and missile attacks that took place overnight. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, their forces intercepted 494 Ukrainian drones, including 13 aimed at Moscow.

Ukraine's military, on the other hand, claimed that Russia launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles alongside 130 unmanned aerial vehicles, comprising Shahed drones and Banderol small missiles. Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 125 of these aerial targets, as per Kyiv's reports. The ongoing refinery strikes are increasingly exerting pressure on Russia's energy sector, targeting facilities that serve both the domestic fuel market and export operations.