More details have emerged about a reported Ukrainian drone strike in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region last night.
In a post on Telegram, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev described the attack as “massive”, and said at least 12 houses had been damaged. One woman was reportedly injured.
Russia’s SHOT Telegram news channel also reported that the bombings had sparked a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery in the area.
A source at Ukraine’s SBU security service has now claimed the drones hit both a pumping station and the oil refinery.
They said that at least 20 explosions were heard and that pumping operations had been suspended due to the damage.
The SBU source claimed the targeted facilities had been helping to support Russia’s military action in Ukraine.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium confirmed in a statement that its Kropotkinskaya pumping station, which supports Kazakhstan’s main oil export pipeline in Russia, had been damaged.
The pipeline, whose shareholders include US energy giants Chevron and ExxonMobil, handles almost all of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, which account for around 1% of global daily supply.
Analysis: Trump’s push to end war threatens to override Zelenskyy
Ukraine’s president has revealed he plans to visit Saudi Arabia but he made clear he would not be speaking with any Russian officials.
That Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to fly into the Kingdom around the same time as top US and Russian officials are due to start talks on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine is notable.
The Ukrainian leader has said the choreography of any peace talks with Moscow first requires meetings between Kyiv and Washington, then Kyiv and Europe. Only afterwards – once an agreed position is established – would Ukraine countenance talks with its enemy.
However, Donald Trump’s push to end the war quickly threatens to create momentum that overrides the wishes of Zelenskyy.
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