Ukrainian drones strike Russia’s second-largest oil refinery, triggering fires and explosions

Ukrainian drones struck Russias secondlargest oil refinery in Kirishi in the Leningrad region during an overnight attack triggering large explosions and fires at the facilityMeanwhile Moscow claimed that its air defence systems had downed 81 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs over the region Russian news agency TASS reportedThe attack reportedly targeted the Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis plant also known as the Kinef refinery located around 800 kilometres north of Ukraine The Kyiv Independent reported citing Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova and Supernova that the strikes caused large explosions at the oil facilityNASAs Fire Information for Resource Management System FIRMS which uses satellite data to detect thermal anomalies and fires also registered multiple hotspots at the facility The Kyiv Independent reportedLeningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that Russian air defence systems had intercepted 81 Ukrainian drones over the region with the operation still underway TASS reportedAs many as 81 enemy UAVs have been downed over the Leningrad Region The air defence operation is ongoing Drozdenko was quoted as sayingHe further confirmed that drone strikes had hit the industrial zone in Kirishi A family was evacuated after debris from a drone struck an apartment building in the town the governor addedThe Kinef refinery has an annual processing capacity of around 20 million metric tonnes of oil and accounts for more than six per cent of Russias total refined oil output It produces a range of petroleum products including fuel that supports the countrys armed forces and is subject to Western sanctions including measures imposed by the United StatesThe refinery has previously been targeted by Ukrainian forces On May 5 it temporarily halted processing after drone strikes damaged three of its four crude distillation units Ukrainian drones also reportedly targeted the facility on August 30The latest attack comes amid renewed Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure According to The Kyiv Independent senior Ukrainian officials have said that Kyiv never formally agreed to a temporary halt in attacks on Russian oil refineries despite US President Donald Trumps efforts to push for an energy ceasefireThe strikes also come as Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure triggering widespread power cuts and water outages On November 3 Russian forces launched an overnight assault involving 289 attack drones 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyyThe developments come ahead of USmediated workinglevel negotiations between Russia and Ukraine scheduled for November 1011 in Abu Dhabi as Washington continues efforts to advance a possible peace agreementThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever