Major Russian Oil Refinery On Fire After Ukraine Strike

A Ukrainian drone attack targeted one of Russia’s largest refineries in an assault that President Vladimir Putin stated was aimed at disrupting his presidential election later this week, as reported by Daryna Krasnolutska for Bloomberg News.

The strike hit Rosneft's refinery located in Ryazan, approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Moscow. I Photo: ПАО «НК «Роснефть» Facebook

The extent of the damage inflicted on Rosneft PJSC’s largest oil refinery remained unclear. The strike hit the refinery located in Ryazan, approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Moscow.

The facility boasts a capacity of 17.1 million tons per year, equivalent to around 340,000 barrels per day, and serves as a significant supplier of motor fuels for various Russian regions.

This incident marks the second casualty of Ukrainian strikes targeting facilities that account for over 10% of Russia’s oil-processing capacity in the past two days.

Additionally, on Wednesday, the independent Novoshakhtinsk refinery in Russia’s southern Rostov region ceased operations following a drone strike, according to regional governor Vasily Golubev on Telegram.

The facility has an annual capacity of 5.6 million tons, or around 112,000 barrels per day.

Putin remarked in an interview with the RIA Novosti news service published on Wednesday that Ukrainian strikes in Russian regions are aimed at disrupting or interfering with the elections in Russia.

He further suggested that another objective may be to gain leverage in potential negotiation processes.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces intercepted 58 drones overnight in the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Ryazan, and Leningrad regions, marking one of the largest assaults in recent months.

These attacks underscore the escalating insecurity faced by ordinary Russians living in regions near the border as the war enters its third year.

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