In a significant military operation, Ukrainian defense units struck four key oil facilities across Russia during the night of April 18. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the attacks, which resulted in substantial fires at several strategic sites.
The targeted facilities included the Novokuybyshevsky and Syzran oil refineries in the Samara region, the oil terminal RPK-Visotsk operated by Lukoil in the Leningrad region, and the oil pumping station in Tikhoretsk, Krasnodar Krai. These installations play a crucial role in supplying the Russian Armed Forces.
Reports from Russian Telegram channels corroborated the drone strikes on the oil infrastructure, indicating that one of the attacks specifically hit the southern section of the Novokuybyshevsky refinery, igniting a fire at the ELOU-AVT-6 installation.
Additionally, damage was reported to the tank farm at the Syzran refinery, one of the largest in the Samara region, which processes between 7 to 8.5 million tons of crude oil annually, producing gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, and other petroleum products.
In the Leningrad region, fires were also detected near the port of Vysotsk, a vital hub for the transfer of oil products, gas, and various cargoes in the Baltic region. Furthermore, a blaze was reported at an oil depot in Tikhoretsk, highlighting the widespread impact of the coordinated strikes.
Ukrainian forces successfully targeted multiple Russian oil facilities, causing significant fires and disrupting crucial supply lines for the Russian military. The strikes underscore the ongoing conflict's impact on key infrastructure.