Ukrainian Forces strike 'heart' of Russia's oil industry near Samara and airfield in Lipetsk region
Photo: Ukrainian serviceman with a Leleka drone (Getty Images)
Two key facilities in Russia were targeted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces overnight on November 13: a station where the Urals export oil blend is prepared and the Lipetsk-2 military airfield, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the statement, Ukrainian forces attacked the Samara linear production and dispatch station near the settlement of Prosvet in Russia's Samara region. A fire broke out at the facility following the strike, with several oil storage tanks ablaze.
The station is an important part of Russia's oil infrastructure. Crude oil from Tatarstan, Western Siberia, and other Russian oil-producing regions is delivered there via trunk pipelines.
At the facility, oil is blended to produce the Urals export grade. It accounts for up to half of Russia's total oil exports. Damage to the station could therefore affect one of the key sources of revenue for the Russian budget, which is used to finance the war against Ukraine.
What is known about the strike on the airfield
The General Staff also confirmed the results of the attack on the Lipetsk-2 military airfield in Russia's Lipetsk region, which is home to Russian military aircraft.
According to the General Staff, the November 13 strike hit a hangar where specialized aircraft maintenance equipment was stored, an aviation fuel storage tank, and the central command and control center at the airfield.
Overnight on November 13, Ukrainian forces also attacked Russian military facilities in Rostov-on-Don.
Neptune missiles hit the production facility for Ionos attack drones, a drone storage facility belonging to the company, and a service center operated by Aero-Khit, where UAVs used on the front line are repaired and maintained.
In addition, since the beginning of November, five of Russia's largest oil refineries have come under attack: the Omsk, Kirishi, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Yaroslavl refineries.
