Another Russian refinery taken offline amid Kyiv’s drone barrage
Ukraine's persistent drone campaign has struck another oil refinery in Moscow, targeting more Russian energy infrastructure, as the war in Europe continues unabated.
IMAGE: Flags of Russia and Ukraine. Getty Images
Ukraine’s latest drone campaign has struck the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, in the southern Russian region of Rostov, forcing the facility to cease operations on Friday, the region’s governor Yury Slyusar said on social media platform Telegram.
Russia's air defence units destroyed about 50 drones over the Rostov region overnight, Slyusar said. “The Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery was damaged in an airstrike… the plant has temporarily suspended operations,” he added.
This refinery has a processing capacity of about 5 million mt/year, or around 100,000 b/d, Reuters reported.
The latest round of drone strikes comes shortly after Ukraine hit the Moscow Oil Refinery that damaged a processing unit co-owned by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft.
Ukraine and Russia have continued targeting each other's energy infrastructure, despite diplomatic efforts at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) summit in New York last week.
The drone strikes coincide with Russia's preparations to extend its ban on diesel exports through the end of October, according to local media reports.
Despite US President Donald Trump announcing a mutual accord earlier this month to halt hostilities, Kyiv and Moscow have pressed ahead with cross-border strikes targeting vital energy installations.
Over the course of the war, Ukraine has repeatedly targeted key export hubs like Novorossiysk and Tuapse, as well as Ust-Luga and Primorsk on the Baltic Sea.
The latest drone strike adds to the list of several attacks launched by Ukraine in recent weeks, as Kyiv presses its campaign against Russian energy infrastructure.
By Aparupa Mazumder
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