Ukraine strikes KINEF refinery; processing halted — Reuters
KINEF fire, Leningrad Oblast (Photo: Exilenova+ / Telegram)
Kirishinefteorgsintez (KINEF),
one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, halted crude processing after another
wave of Ukrainian drone strikes, Reuters reported
on May 5, citing industry sources.
The sources told Reuters that three of the refinery’s four primary oil-processing units were hit and several auxiliary units were damaged. They did not give a timeline for repairs.
“In an escalation of long-range drone attacks, Ukraine has pummeled Russia's oil industry for the past two months, from pipelines and ports to refineries and tankers, in an effort to undermine Russia's $3 trillion war economy,” the report said.
Reuters said KINEF has a capacity of about 20 million metric tons a year, or roughly 400,000 barrels a day. In recent years the plant processed about 18 million tons annually, roughly 7% of Russia’s total oil refining, Reuters said.
Ukraine’s SBU security service and the General Staff confirmed the attack.
“The SBU, together with the Defense Forces, struck the KINEF refinery and the Kirishi oil-pumping station in Leningrad Oblast, Russia,” the SBU said earlier the same day. It added that three AVT units, which handle primary oil processing, were struck at the refinery and that a fuel tank at the pumping station was hit and remains ablaze.
Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko acknowledged that
KINEF was the main target, saying the industrial-zone fire in Kirishi had been
contained and there were no casualties.
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