Russia's Tuapse oil refinery is still operating, deputy PM says after Ukrainian drone strike on it

FILE PHOTO: A view of an explosion caused by a Ukrainian drone attack on Rosneft's Tuapse oil refinery, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Tuapse, Krasnodar region, Russia July 22, 2024 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Video Obtained by Reuters/via REUTERS/File Photo

Source: UGC

Russia's Tuapse oil refinery is still operating, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday, a day after local authorities reported that the refinery had been damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack.

The Tuapse plant, Russia's biggest refinery on the Black Sea, was damaged in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Monday which sparked a fire. The extent of the damage is still unclear.

Ukraine has been systematically targeting Russian energy infrastructure in an attempt to disrupt Russia's economy and its ability to fund Russia's war in Ukraine, something the Kremlin calls a special military operation.

The refinery, which has a processing capacity of 240,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil, has been a target of several Ukrainian air attacks since the start of the conflict.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters