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Ukrainian drone strikes Russia's third-biggest refinery, damage not important

A Ukrainian drone struck Russia's thirdlargest oil refinery on Tuesday about 1,300 km ( 800 miles) from the cutting edge, hitting an unit that processes about 155,000 barrels of crude per day, though a market source said strike caused no critical damage.

A Ukrainian intelligence source stated Ukraine struck the primary fine-tuning system at the oil refinery in Russia's extremely industrialised Tatarstan region and triggered a fire. Such attacks are planned to lower Russia's oil profits, the source said.

Russian authorities stated jamming devices locked onto a. Ukrainian drone near Tatneft's Taneco refinery, which. has an annual production capability of more than 17 million lots. ( 340,000 barrels each day).

Images from the scene showed the drone hit the primary. refining unit, CDU-7, though it did not appear to have triggered. major damage.

The market source, who spoke to on condition of. anonymity, said workers was returning to the plant.

A fire was snuffed out within 20 minutes, the state news. firm RIA stated, adding that output had actually not been disrupted.

The afflicted unit represents around a half of the plant's. overall annual production capacity. The refinery represents about. 6.2% of Russia's refining capacity.

Brent briefly increased above $89 a barrel for the. time since October amid concern over the Ukrainian drone attacks. and the escalating dispute in the Middle East.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made no direct. referral to the Tatarstan attack, however stated Kyiv's long-distance. military action against Russia was essential.

Similarly essential is that the Russian terrorists are. receiving responses to their strikes, he stated in his nighttime. video address. Each time, longer-range responses.

TARGETING OIL REVENUE

Another Ukrainian intelligence source stated Ukrainian-made. drones had actually also struck a Russian plant producing long-range Shahed. attack drones, causing significant damage.

The Washington Post reported in 2015 that Russia was. mass-producing drones at a plant in Tatarstan.

Ukraine has in recent months started assaulting the oil. refineries of Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter,. impacting Moscow's extremely financially rewarding trade in improved products,. amid extensive Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's energy grid.

According to estimations, around 14% of Russia's. refining capacity has actually been closed down by drone attacks. There is. more need for refined oil items than for Russian crude.

The attacks on Russian refineries have raised concern in. Washington about the potential for escalation with Russia.

Ukraine states its drone attacks on Russia are warranted. because it is defending survival and has actually suffered damage to. its infrastructure from Russian air strikes.

Ukraine, which states it has actually been assaulted by more than 4,630. Russian long-range Shahed drones throughout the 25-month-old war,. concerns its own drone production push as a way to hit back at a. much better armed and larger enemy.

Given That President Vladimir Putin sent out Russian forces into. Ukraine in 2022, drones have played a huge part in the war -. either as kamikaze assailants or as eyes in the sky that guide. other weapons to damage or kill soldiers devices.

Ukraine has actually carried out a series of high-profile attacks. deep inside Russia meant to either undermine Russia's war. device or, similar to a 2023 drone strike on the Kremlin, bring. the truth of war to the very heart of Russia.

A powerful ally of Putin stated on Tuesday that NATO was. essentially fighting Russia in Ukraine and that the U.S.-led. alliance had actually assisted arrange strikes on Russian area.

When asked if Russia believed the United States was involved. in the attacks on Russian refineries, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry. Peskov stated on Tuesday the question was much better dealt with to the. defence ministry and security services.

The Kyiv program continues its terrorist activity, Peskov. stated. We and our armed force are primarily working to reduce. this risk, and subsequently to remove it.

Ukrainian sources say Kyiv alone is responsible for the. preparation and execution of drone attacks in Russia. The United. States states it does not support Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.

Tuesday's attacks also struck enterprises in Yelabuga and. Nizhnekamsk and some people were injured, Tatarstan's regional. governor Rustam Minnikhanov said.

Two drones struck a dorm on the territory of the. Alabuga Unique Economic Zone and a minimum of seven people were. hurt, Russian media reported.

(source: Reuters)