Multiple drones struck Russia’s Krasnodar Krai overnight on 17 February, reportedly targeting oil refineries in Ilsky and Slavyansk-on-Kuban, according to Russian Telegram channels.
In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its strikes on Russian oil refineries, which are critical for producing fuels used by the Russian military in the war. These attacks also lead to substantial financial losses for the Russian economy.
Russian Telegram channels suggest the Ilsky oil refinery was the likely target of the attack. Astra Telegram channel, citing local residents, reports that drones targeted the refinery. According to SHOT channel, a fire broke out near the facility following explosions in the area around 1 a.m., with firefighting efforts currently underway.
In Ilsky, falling debris damaged 12 residential buildings, primarily breaking windows. Local emergency services responded to the scene, and municipal authorities were instructed to assist with repairs, according to the regional governor. One resident was injured.
In Slavyansk-on-Kuban, where another oil refinery is situated, falling debris struck two private homes, damaging windows in one and the roof in another. A four-year-old girl was injured in the incident and has been hospitalized, according to the governor.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have intercepted 90 Ukrainian drones, with 24 shot down over the Krasnodar Krai region.
After the drone attacks on 17 February, a major Russian oil pipeline facility suspended operations in southern Russia, Astra reports. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has taken its Kropotkinskaya pumping station offline following the strike, forcing the major oil transport system to operate at reduced capacity.
According to a company statement, seven unmanned aerial vehicles struck the facility in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai Oblast. The drones were reportedly carrying explosives and metal fragments, with strikes occurring at intervals.
While the attack caused the facility to suspend operations, company personnel prevented any oil spills, CPC reports. The pipeline continues to transport oil through the Tengiz-Novorossiysk system at reduced pumping rates, bypassing the affected station.
The Kropotkinskaya station, which the company identifies as its largest pumping facility in Russia, is located in the Kavkazsky district of Kuban (Krasnodar Krai). The incident occurred during a wider series of drone strikes in the region.
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