Moscow [Russia], November 9 (ANI): Ukrainian drones struck Russia's second-largest oil refinery in Kirishi in the Leningrad region during an overnight attack, triggering large explosions and fires at the facility.
Meanwhile, Moscow claimed that its air defence systems had downed 81 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the region, Russian news agency TASS reported.
The attack reportedly targeted the Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis plant, also known as the Kinef refinery, located around 800 kilometres north of Ukraine. The Kyiv Independent reported, citing Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+, that the strikes caused large explosions at the oil facility.
NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), which uses satellite data to detect thermal anomalies and fires, also registered multiple hotspots at the facility, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that Russian air defence systems had intercepted 81 Ukrainian drones over the region, with the operation still underway, TASS reported.
"As many as 81 enemy UAVs have been downed over the Leningrad Region. The air defence operation is ongoing," Drozdenko was quoted as saying.
He further confirmed that drone strikes had hit the industrial zone in Kirishi. A family was evacuated after debris from a drone struck an apartment building in the town, the governor added.
The Kinef refinery has an annual processing capacity of around 20 million metric tonnes of oil and accounts for more than six per cent of Russia's total refined oil output. It produces a range of petroleum products, including fuel that supports the country's armed forces, and is subject to Western sanctions, including measures imposed by the United States.
The refinery has previously been targeted by Ukrainian forces. On May 5, it temporarily halted processing after drone strikes damaged three of its four crude distillation units. Ukrainian drones also reportedly targeted the facility on August 30.
The latest attack comes amid renewed Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. According to The Kyiv Independent, senior Ukrainian officials have said that Kyiv never formally agreed to a temporary halt in attacks on Russian oil refineries, despite US President Donald Trump's efforts to push for an energy ceasefire.
The strikes also come as Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, triggering widespread power cuts and water outages. On November 3, Russian forces launched an overnight assault involving 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The developments come ahead of US-mediated working-level negotiations between Russia and Ukraine scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi, as Washington continues efforts to advance a possible peace agreement. (ANI)
Ukrainian drones strike Russia’s second-largest oil refinery; Moscow claims it downed 81 UAVs
