Drones attack key Russian oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai, vital for Russian army

The refinery is one of the key facilities of its kind in the southern part of the country.

"Its processing capacity is approximately 6.6 million tons of oil per year," Kovalenko explained.

"The refinery specializes in producing fuel, mazut, bitumen, gas oil, and other petroleum products."

"The significance of the Ilsk refinery for the Russian army lies in its role in supplying fuel for military equipment, particularly in the southern region and the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine," he added.

Explosions in Krasnodar Krai on Feb. 17 

Overnight on Feb. 17, Russian Telegram channels reported an attack by drones and a fire at the Ilsk oil refinery.

According to the Telegram channel Shot, debris from one of the drones reportedly fell near the village of Severskaya, close to the refinery, sparking a fire.

Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev confirmed the drone attack, stating that debris had "damaged 12 residential buildings." However, the official did not comment on the attack on the Ilsk oil refinery or reports of a fire.