Ukraine confirms attack on oil refinery in Novoshakhtinsk and claims damages amount to $540 million

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed that the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov region was attacked on June 5. The attack destroyed 1.5 million tons of oil and oil products worth $540 million.

In a Telegram post on June 10, the military said the attack was carried out using “means of Ukrainian origin,” but did not elaborate.

At the time of the attack, Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev claimed the fire was caused by a drone strike.

In recent months, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone strikes aimed at damaging Russia’s oil industry, which is critical to sustaining Moscow’s war effort.

“Attacks on Russian oil refineries significantly complicate the fulfillment of the tasks of enemy troops in the course of armed aggression against our country,” the General Staff said.

Ukrainian troops had already targeted the plant in the spring. Military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov said on March 13 that the oil refinery in Novoshakhtinsk had been partially shut down as a result of a drone attack.

Rostov Oblast borders Ukraine to the southeast. In spring 2024, reports of drone attacks on the region’s oil industry increased.

The CEO of the state-controlled Russian oil company Rosneft asked the Kremlin in May to approve tax breaks to cover the costs of preventing drone attacks on the company’s oil refineries.

Ukrainian authorities claim that the Russian ship “Admiral Levchenko” is on fire in the Barents Sea

The Russian anti-submarine ship Admiral Levchenko is burning in the Barents Sea after an engine failed and caught fire, Dmytro Pletenchuk, press chief of the Southern Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on June 10.