An oil refinery in southwestern Russia was attacked on Wednesday by drones from Ukrainian territory, causing an explosion and a fire, but no casualties, its leaders say.
The attack, unconfirmed by kyiv, hit the Novochakhtinsky petroleum products plant in the Rostov region, whose operations are now suspended, according to the governor, Vasily Golubev.
According to the factory, the first drone struck at 1:40 a.m. EDT, causing an explosion, followed by a second attack, about 45 minutes later, which targeted an oil depot, causing property damage but no injuries. blast.
” Two drones attacked technological equipment at the Novochakhtinsky Petroleum Products Plant, which caused an explosion followed by a fire. “
The factory management did not specifically blame the Ukrainian forces, but denounced terrorist acts coming from the western borderlocated about 10 kilometers to the west.
A video posted on social networks, the authenticity of which could not be immediately verified, shows a drone flying over an industrial area, shortly before an explosion accompanied by a ball of fire.
According to Governor Goloubev, the fire started by the first attack was extinguished at the end of the morning, but the refinery will remain shut down for an indefinite period, while the damage is assessed.
Of the fragments belonging to two drones were discovered on the site, he also announced in a message on Telegram, which would mean that the devices crashed on the site, voluntarily or not.
Russia’s Energy Ministry says the fire has no impact on supplies of petroleum products in the south of the country.
The Novochakhtinsky plant, which can refine 7.5 million tons of crude oil each year, presents itself on its website as the largest supplier of petroleum products in southern Russia.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24, several drone attacks have been reported in the western regions of Russia. Moscow imputes them to kyiv, which never confirms being the author.
Last month, the governor of the Kursk region claimed that one person died in a Ukrainian strike on a border village.
And in early April, the governor of the Belgorod border region accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on a fuel depot with two helicopters.
Radio Canada
Source: Radio-Canada
