Ukraine strikes 18 Russian vessels, key oil facilities overnight

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

"The Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai was struck once again. Explosions followed by a fire were recorded on the facility's premises. The extent of the damage and the results of the strike are being assessed," the statement said.

The General Staff noted that the Ilsky refinery is one of the largest oil-processing facilities in southern Russia. It has a design capacity of up to 6.6 million tons of crude oil per year and produces gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum products used, among other purposes, to support the military logistics of the aggressor state.

The Kurgannefteprodukt oil terminal in Taganrog, Rostov region, and the Azovnefteprodukt oil depot in the city of Azov, Rostov region, were also hit.

A fire was reported at the terminal, while explosions and smoke were observed at the oil depot. The extent of the damage and the effectiveness of the strikes are still being verified.

The General Staff noted that the Kurgannefteprodukt terminal is used for the receipt, storage, and transshipment of petroleum products in Russia's Azov Sea region.

The Azovnefteprodukt oil depot is a key fuel infrastructure facility in the Rostov region, used to store and distribute fuel and lubricants. According to the General Staff, both facilities support the needs of the Russian military.

The General Staff also reported strikes on 13 tankers, three cargo ships, one ferry, and one auxiliary vessel.

The extent of the damage and the results of the strikes are still being clarified.

According to the General Staff, these vessels are used to support Russia's military logistics by transporting fuel, military cargo, and other supplies required for its war against Ukraine.

In addition, Ukraine's Defense Forces struck the NOVATEK Ust-Luga oil and gas processing complex in Russia's Leningrad region once again.

The results of the strike are still being assessed.

"The NOVATEK Ust-Luga complex is one of the largest gas condensate processing and light petroleum product manufacturing facilities in the Russian Federation. It has an annual processing capacity of around seven million tons of gas condensate. The facility is involved in supplying the occupying forces," the General Staff said.

Ukrainian forces also struck an enemy fuel and lubricant storage depot near Rozivka in the temporarily occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

As reported by Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that Ukrainian drones had struck a Russian oil refinery located 2,500 kilometers (about 1,550 miles) from Ukraine, meaning there are now no Russian oil refineries beyond the reach of Ukrainian weapons.