Ukraine reports weekly attacks on Russian oil refineries and key pumping stations
Photo: Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi (Birds of the Magyar 414OB)
Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, published a weekly report on strikes against Russian oil facilities. Two Russian oil refineries and the Druzhba pipeline were hit.
According to Brovdi, two Russian oil refineries and two pumping stations on the Druzhba pipeline, which connects Russia with Europe, were targeted over the week.
The strikes were carried out by the 14th Regiment and the separate Graf group of the Unmanned Systems Forces.
"For more than 60 hours, the ex-Medvedchuk refinery in Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region, has been burning. The standard 48-hour recovery plan has not been implemented. A 'friendly' night visit by the USF drones to the Novoshakhtinsk refinery was carried out on the night of August 20–21 by the Graf group," the post said.
Overall, the attacks affected the following targets:
- August 14 – Volgograd Oil Refinery. Preliminary reports indicate the plant’s operations were halted.
- August 18 – Druzhba pipeline pumping station Nikolskoye in the Tambov region, Russia. Moscow claimed the station would be restored in 48 hours, but no confirmation has emerged.
- August 20 – Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant in the Rostov region. As of August 23, the fire was still burning and spreading.
- August 21 – Druzhba pipeline pumping station Unecha in the Bryansk region. The station was completely disabled. Repairs are expected to take at least five days.
Strikes on the Druzhba pipeline and refineries
The first attack on the Druzhba pipeline occurred on August 13. On August 18, Ukrainian forces hit the Nikolskoye pumping station in the Tambov region again. The strike triggered a fire and fully stopped oil transfers through the Druzhba pipeline.
On August 21, drones hit the Unecha station, halting oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia. Transfers were completely stopped again, just a day after Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the pipeline’s restoration. Repairs will take at least five days.
Meanwhile, in Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region, Russia, a large fire continued for a second day at the oil refinery. On the night of August 21, drones attacked the plant. Firefighters had to cut off the water supply to the nearby city of Krasny Sulin entirely to redirect water for firefighting. Even this measure did not stop the fire.
