Ukrainian drone strike targets Russian Ilsky oil refinery
In the early hours of July 7, a drone strike targeted a Russian military facility near Novorossiysk in the Krasnodar Krai. The attack focused on a workshop at the Ilsky Oil Refinery. Drones operated by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense were behind the strike.
Russian air defense systems reportedly intercepted all the UAVs heading toward the refinery, with only debris landing on the facility grounds, as stated on the Telegram channel "The Operational Headquarters of Krasnodar Krai." Authorities mentioned that information about the "fall" came from the plant's dispatchers. They claim there was neither fire nor casualties, according to the headquarters' statement. Appropriate services arrived on the scene and discovered UAV debris among other findings.
The Russian statement noted that the incident occurred in the Seversky district, affecting a processing unit of the refinery. Specific details were not provided. Externally, no visible damage, flames, or smoke were apparent.
Meanwhile, at 9:40 AM, a 20-second video was published on the Kub Mash channel, purportedly from the vicinity of the Ilsky Refinery. A loud drone engine can be heard flying close by without any noise of air defense activity. At the 10-second mark, a loud explosion reaches the witness. In comments, Russians rhetorically questioned why authorities would send emergency services to a facility supposedly unharmed by "debris" and wondered how these debris could traverse 400 km from Ukraine.
By mid-day July 7, Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne received information from anonymous intelligence sources. They reported that the drones from Ukraine’s defense ministry targeted the Ilsky site. Russia's Defense Ministry reported a raid of 91 UAVs that morning. Seven were purportedly neutralized over the Black Sea, with one each over occupied Crimea and Krasnodar Krai.
The Ilsky Refinery, named after A.A. Shamar, processes oil from Russian and Kazakh territories through pipelines of PAO "Transneft". Its oroducts are exported through ports like Novorossiysk, Tuapse, and Taman, additionally supplying Russian forces in Ukraine. The refinery hosts six primary processing units with a combined capacity of approximately 6.6 million tons of oil annually, spanning an area of 72 hectares. The direct distance from Ukraine is around 400 km, while a sea route bypassing occupied Crimea extends to about 800 km.
The Ilsky Refinery has been previously targeted twice, once in February and again in April 2024. In the February strike, the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station was hit. Sources from Focus reported around 20 explosions during the attack.
In the morning of July 7, Russian authorities acknowledged an attack on a chemical plant near Moscow that produces cartridges and various ammunition types for Russian forces.