AFP reported on the 23rd (local time) that Ukraine carried out airstrikes on oil refining facilities in western Russia near the border, resulting in numerous casualties.
Dmitry Azarov, governor of Samara, located about 850 km southeast of Moscow, Russia's capital, stated that local oil refineries were attacked several times by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) on the same day.
Ukrainian firefighters are conducting extinguishing operations on the 20th (local time) at a building that was completely burned down after a Russian military rocket attack in the city of Kharkiv. [Photo by Yonhap News]
In particular, the Kuibyshev refinery operated by the Russian oil company Rosneft was hit, causing a fire. This facility is one of the largest refineries in Samara, with an annual production capacity of 7 million tons.
Governor Azarov also reported that there was an attempted drone attack on the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in Samara, but no significant damage occurred.
Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod, Russia, which borders Ukraine, announced that one civilian was killed and two were injured in a drone attack in the region on the same day.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that it shot down 12 Ukrainian drones overnight near the Ukrainian border areas of Bryansk, Belgorod, and Voronezh. This airstrike occurred just one day after it was revealed that the United States requested Ukrainian intelligence authorities to halt attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure.
The previous day, the British daily Financial Times (FT) reported that the United States asked Ukraine not to strike oil refining facilities and other targets on Russian soil due to concerns over rising oil prices and potential Russian retaliation. In response to this report, Ukraine publicly expressed dissatisfaction, stating that "from a military perspective, energy facilities are legitimate targets."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
