Ukrainian drones strike one of Russia’s top oil refineries, sparking fire

Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. (Alexei Danichev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian drones have struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, sparking a fire, Russian officials and Ukraine’s military said Sunday.

The overnight strike on the Kirishi refinery, in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region, follows weeks of Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure that Kyiv says fuels Moscow’s war effort.

The facility, operated by Russian company Surgutneftegas, produces close to 17.7 million metric tons per year (355,000 barrels per day) of crude, and is one of Russia’s top three by output.

More than three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drones continue to be a key weapon for both sides. Multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland on Wednesday, prompting NATO to send fighter jets to shoot them down and underlining long-held concerns that the fighting might spill over beyond Ukraine’s borders.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, explosions and a fire were reported at the Kirishi refinery. It posted a photo appearing to show a blaze and clouds of smoke against a night sky.

Regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said that three drones were downed overnight in the Kirishi area, with falling debris sparking a fire at the facility. He said that no one was injured, and the blaze was put out.

Gasoline shortages

As of Sunday afternoon, Russian officials offered no further comment on the consequences of the strike, and it wasn’t immediately possible to verify these. At least 80 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russia, the annexed Crimean Peninsula and the adjacent Sea of Azov, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Ukrainian drones previously targeted the Kirishi refinery in March, causing minor damage, according to social media posts published at the time by Drozdenko.

Russia remains the world’s second-largest oil exporter, but a seasonal rise in demand and sustained Ukrainian drone strikes have caused gasoline shortages in recent weeks. Gas stations have run dry in some regions of the country, with motorists waiting in long lines and officials resorting to rationing or cutting off sales altogether.

To try to ease the shortage, Russia has paused gasoline exports, with officials on Wednesday declaring a full ban until Sept. 30 and a partial ban affecting traders and intermediaries until Oct. 31.

Russian railway incidents

Also in the Leningrad region, a diesel locomotive was derailed during the night, local Gov. Drozdenko said Sunday. He said the incident occurred near Gatchina south of St. Petersburg. Russia’s No. 2 city, which was known as Leningrad during Soviet times, is surrounded by but not included in the region of the same name.

Drozdenko said the locomotive’s driver was trapped in his cabin, and later died of his injuries while being transported to a hospital. He added an official investigation would check for signs of sabotage.

Separately, a bomb planted along railway lines in Russia’s Oryol region has killed three people, according to reports by local Gov. Andrey Klychkov. He said victims had been inspecting the track, and identified one as a member of Russia’s National Guard.

According to Klychkov’s posts, published late Saturday and Sunday, the incident happened near the town of Maloarkhangelsk, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Russian officials didn’t immediately comment on what caused it.

Cyberattacks mar Russian voting

Elsewhere, as some Russians headed to the polls to elect local governors and deputies on Sunday, the head of the Russia’s main electoral body told reporters that it and Russia’s electronic voting system were facing a large wave of cyberattacks.

Ella Pamfilova, of the Central Election Commission, said that “an unprecedented attack is underway” on its digital systems, but assured the public that it wouldn’t affect the outcome of the votes.

The commission’s website appeared to be down for much of Sunday, when 21 out of Russia’s more than 80 regions were set to elect new governors. Seats in nearly a dozen regional assemblies and various municipal bodies were also up for grabs.

But few expected a meaningful challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party and its supporters, following a sweeping crackdown on dissent that came with Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Almost 100 denial-of-service attacks were recorded on Sunday on online resources linked to the elections, according to Alexander Izhko of Russia’s media and digital watchdog, Roskomnadzor. Izhko spoke at a media briefing Sunday. A denial-of-service attack involves flooding a site with data to overwhelm it and knock it offline.

Russian officials didn’t immediately comment on who they thought might be behind the alleged attacks.

The Associated Press