Ukraine Drone Strike Halts Operations at Russian Oil Refinery – The Moscow Times

A Ukrainian drone attack started a fire at an oil refinery in southern Russia, forcing it to halt operations, regional authorities said early Thursday, adding that there were no casualties.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said 13 drones were destroyed overnight in annexed Crimea, six in the southwestern Belgorod region and an anti-ship missile was shot down in the southern Rostov region.

In the city of Rostov-on-Don, dozens of emergency personnel rushed to put out the flames at the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, according to Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev.

“Following a drone strike, a fire broke out at the Novoshakhtinsk refinery,” he wrote on Telegram. “Work was suspended due to a repeated attack, and personnel were withdrawn to a safe distance.”

Golubev later said the fire had been put out, with no one immediately reported dead or injured.

The Novoshakhtinsk plant in the Rostov region is considered one of the most important oil refineries in southern Russia. Located around 10 kilometers east of the border with Ukraine, it is regularly targeted in attacks.

Another drone strike overnight destroyed an oil tank at a depot in Stary Oskol, north of the Ukrainian border, authorities in the Belgorod region said.

That fire was “quickly extinguished” and there were no casualties, according to Belgorov region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.