This southern Russian refinery hit again — Russia claims it was just debris (MAP)

Ukrainian forces struck the Slavyansk Eco oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai overnight on 26 January, hitting the facility’s infrastructure and triggering fires, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Army. This is the third known strike on the refinery, which lies deep in the Russian rear.

Ukrainian strike hits refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani overnight

In the early hours of 26 January, Ukrainian Defense Forces launched a drone attack on the oil refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani in southern Riussia's Krasnodar Krai. The facility belongs to the Russian Slavyansk Eco group and has a nominal annual oil processing capacity of approximately 5.2 million tons. The city lies over 300 km southeast of the frontline.

Ukrainian officials later confirmed the strike, saying the attack hit the infrastructure of the Slavyansk Eco refinery. Video of the explosion’s distant glow was published at around 1 a.m. by Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+, which wrote: 

“An attack on the local refinery continues in Slavyansk-na-Kubani.”

Local authorities in Krasnodar Krai confirmed the strike, reporting a fire at the site. Russia’s so-called "Operational HQ – Krasnodar Krai" claimed that drone fragments fell on the territory of two enterprises in Slavyansk-na-Kubani. One person was allegedly hospitalized with a non-life-threatening injury, and fires broke out at the sites, according to the HQ.

Exilenova+ subsequently shared an update citing the regional operational HQ, saying that one of the refinery’s fuel tanks had caught fire. Later, Russian news Telegram channel Astra said locals had also reported a fire at the oil refinery. 

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Ukraine confirms direct hits on infrastructure

The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the Slavyansk Eco oil refinery. According to the report, the refinery is part of Russia’s energy rear and is involved in supplying the aggressor state’s armed forces.

Ukrainian forces reported recorded explosions and confirmed drone hits at the refinery. Preliminary assessments suggest that components of the primary oil processing unit were damaged, though the full scale of the destruction is still being clarified.

"The Defense Forces continue to take measures to undermine the military and economic potential of the Russian occupiers and to force the Russian Federation to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine," the GenStaff wrote.