Ukraine’s military confirms hit on Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery

Ukraine's General Staff confirmed military and security services conducted an overnight strike on Russia's only operating oil refinery in Rostov Oblast.

Dec 19, 2024 - 12:00

Ukraine’s military confirms hit on Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery

ukraine's military confirms hit novoshakhtinsk oil refinery 19 night fire novoshakhtisk depot russia novoshakhtinsk-oil general staff confirmed security services conducted overnight strike russia's only operating rostov oblast ukrainian armed forces

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has confirmed a strike on a strategic oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast. The military leadership reported that Ukraine’s Naval Forces and Security Service (SBU), in cooperation with other defense forces, targeted infrastructure and production facilities at Novoshakhtinsk Oil Products Plant overnight on 19 December.

The Navy’s involvement suggests that domestic Neptune missiles might have been used in the attack, as the Naval Forces do not operate aerial drones for deep strikes inside Russia. Long-range drone attacks are typically associated with the SBU and the military intelligence, HUR.

Drones strike last operational oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast

According to the General Staff, the facility is the only operational oil refinery in Rostov Oblast and supplies fuel to Russian Armed Forces. The military statement noted that the plant specializes in producing fuel oil, furnace fuel, marine and diesel fuel, and straight-run gasoline, with a design processing capacity of 7.5 million tons of crude oil annually.

The General Staff confirmed a fire at the facility’s ELOU-AVT-2.5 catalytic cracking unit. Such units are the main production facilities at oil refineries, directly responsible for separating crude oil into fractions. Military officials added that detailed information about the strike’s consequences is being clarified.

In their statement, the General Staff emphasized that defense forces continue taking measures to undermine Russia’s military-economic potential and force Russia to end its armed aggression against Ukraine.

This year, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone attacks against the military and fuel facilities within Russia, significantly disrupting fuel and ammunition supplies crucial for the Russian military. Many of such attacks targeted Russian bomb warehouses at airbases, ammunition depots, fuel processing and storage facilities deep inside Russia. Meanwhile, Russia continues its relentless nightly drone, missile, and bomb attacks on Ukraine, with strikes intensifying in recent months.

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