President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has reported a second strike on the Moscow oil refinery by the Defense Forces overnight Thursday.
"Tonight, our long-range sanctions reached the Moscow region again: for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was struck. Targets in the Rostov region and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine were also hit," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
He called these strikes "a completely fair response to Russian strikes on our cities and communities," as well as an important result of the work of the Ukrainian military against facilities that supply the Russian military machine.
"These days, all our partners noted the accuracy and effectiveness of our mid-strikes and long-range sanctions. It is time to end this war, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy," Zelensky emphasized.
Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine specified that over the past day, in addition to the Moscow refinery, an oil depot, a railway bridge across the North Crimean Canal, and other enemy facilities were struck.
In particular, a hit and a large-scale fire on the territory of the enterprise were recorded at the Moscow refinery. "At present, there are at least five combustion points. According to preliminary geolocation, a combined oil refining unit, secondary processing units, and a tank farm are burning," the statement on Telegram says.
In Russia’s Rostov region, the Gukovo oil depot was hit; a hit and a fire on the territory of the facility were recorded. "The oil depot is used for the storage and transshipment of fuel and lubricants that ensure the functioning of the military and transport infrastructure of Russia," the General Staff said.
In addition, the Ukrainian military struck a road bridge across the Kalchem river near the village of Hranitne, Donetsk region, as well as a railway bridge across the North Crimean Canal near the village of Razdolne in occupied Crimea, which were used by the enemy for military transportation and logistics supply of occupying forces.
"An occupation command post was struck in the Soledar area of Donetsk region. Damage was also inflicted on enemy fuel and lubricant warehouses in Mariupol and Piatypillia, Donetsk region, as well as a logistics warehouse in the Boikivske area in Donetsk region," the General Staff stated.
Furthermore, based on the results of additional reconnaissance of previously struck facilities, it was confirmed that as a result of the June 14 strike on the Palkino oil pumping station in Russia’s Yaroslavl region, seven tanks with a total volume of 95,000 cubic meters were destroyed. As a result of the June 13 strikes at the Kotovo oil preparation and pumping workshop in Russia’s Volgograd region, three tanks and sections of an oil pipeline were damaged, and at the Tamanneftegas oil terminal near the village of Volna in Russia’s Krasnodar Territory, five tanks were damaged. All these facilities are involved in supplying Russian forces.
As reported, on the night of Tuesday, June 16, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck the Moscow refinery, which is involved in supplying the army of Russia. The company’s products account for over 38% of fuel consumption in the capital region, in particular, the plant supplies aviation fuel to Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky airports. The plant’s processing capacity is over 12 million tonnes of oil per year.
For its part, the SBU reported on Thursday morning on Telegram that soldiers of the SBU Alpha Special Operations Center, together with other components of the Defense Forces, launched a successful strike on the Moscow oil refinery. It is located 15 kilometers from the Kremlin.
At least four large fire hot spots have been recorded at the refinery. Huge columns of thick black smoke are rising, visible from various districts of Moscow.
According to preliminary data, the strikes by Ukrainian drones hit the tank farm, the CDU facility (which performs primary crude oil processing), and the diesel fuel hydrotreating facility.
The Moscow refinery is the largest oil refinery in Moscow. The enterprise supplies a significant part of the fuel market of the Russian capital, providing key volumes of gasoline and over 50% of diesel fuel for the region, as well as fuel for Moscow airports.
Following the previous attack by the State Security Service (SBU) and the Defense Forces on June 16 this year, the plant had already temporarily suspended operations, the SBU notes.
"Repeated strikes on the Moscow refinery demonstrate that Ukrainian drones can systematically hit the enemy’s most important strategic facilities in the very heart of Russia. Each such attack forces Russia to spend additional resources on repairs, strengthening air defense, and restructuring logistics. The SBU will continue to conduct special operations that exhaust the economic potential of Russia and increase the price of war for Russia," the special service emphasized.
