In the early hours of April 8, Russian forces launched a drone strike targeting an oil refinery in Merefa, located in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. This incident marks the fifth attack on the facility since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
The initial explosions occurred around 1 a.m., but reports indicate that there were no casualties among the workers at the refinery. Anastasia Cherednikova, the head of the legal department at the refinery, confirmed the absence of injuries but noted significant damage to the facility.
“If I am not mistaken, this is the fifth strike on the enterprise since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The refinery will continue to operate, as there are a large number of employees,” Cherednikova stated.
While the refinery plans to resume operations, the timeline for recovery remains uncertain. In addition to the refinery, the attack also impacted civilian infrastructure. Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, reported damage to four residential buildings and three vehicles as a result of the explosions.
The recent drone strike on a Kharkiv oil refinery highlights ongoing hostilities in the region, with no reported casualties but significant damage to infrastructure. This incident underscores the persistent threat to both industrial and civilian areas amid the ongoing conflict.