Undisputed Champs: Ukrainian Drone Strike Knocks Out Russian Refinery

Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) sources reported that its drones had struck the Kuschevskaya Refinery and multiple aircraft at military airfields in Russia’s Krasnodar region, with Russian officials later confirming that the refinery had been forced to shut down by the attack.

The SBU sources made reference to Saturday’s World Championship Title win by Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk saying, “drones staged fireworks in Russia in honor of the victory of Usyk: burning at the military airfield Kushchevskaya and the Slavic refinery.”

“This [Saturday] night, the victory of boxer Olexander Usyk was celebrated not only by the whole of Ukraine, but also by the Kushchevskaya military airfield and the Slavic refinery [in Russia’s Krasnodar Oblast].” According to sources, the SBU drones were “the sponsors of the festive fireworks.”

At the airfield, the SBU worked with the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) unmanned systemsoperators. Russians on social networks overnight complained about a series of explosions, a fire, and one even lamented: they “blew up our bush.” The airbase operates dozens of different aircraft attacking Ukrainian positions at the front, including Su-25, Su-27, Su-34, and MіG-29 combat aircraft.

This is the second attack by the SBU drones on the Kushchevskaya military airfield and the Slavic refinery over the past three weeks. Then several aircraft were hit at the airport, and the refinery was hit by distillation and atmospheric columns.

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AFP later reported: “A Ukrainian drone attack forced an oil refinery in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region to suspend operations Sunday, its operator and authorities said.”

“During the night, six drones fell on the territory of the refinery in Slovyansk-on-Kuban," Roman Siniagovski, a regional official, wrote on Telegram.

The Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery, in the Krasnodar region east of the Sea of Azov, is one of the biggest in southern Russia.

“There have been strikes. The plant is currently at a standstill. We are assessing the damage,” Eduard Trutnev, the head of security at the refinery, told Interfax news agency.

Separately, the Russian defense ministry claimed its air defenses shot down 57 Ukrainian drones on the night of May 18 to 19, AFP reports.

The Kremlin said nine ATACMS tactical missiles and one drone were shot down over the Crimea peninsula, but Kyiv Post could not independently corroborate the information.

AFP contributed additional information to this article.

Ukrainian air attacks targeted the Russian border region of Belgorod on Sunday, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.