Ukraine drone debris sparks fire at Russia’s Slavyansk refinery, authorities say

Dec 17 (Reuters) – Debris from a downed Ukrainian drone briefly set fire to processing equipment and a pipeline at an oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight, authorities there said on Wednesday.

There were no casualties reported at the Slavyansk refinery, which Kyiv has repeatedly targeted since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Two people were injured, several private homes were damaged and power supply networks were hit after drone debris fell in other residential areas of Krasnodar, the region operational headquarters said on Telegram earlier on Wednesday.

Krasnodar, on the Black Sea, is a major energy and export hub for Russia, hosting key oil infrastructure including the port of Novorossiisk and nearby terminals, as well as the Tuapse refinery and export facilities.

Ukraine has said strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure are aimed at disrupting fuel supplies for the Russian military and cutting revenues from oil exports that help fund Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Reuters in Moscow and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Andrew Heavens)