Ukrainian drones strike Rosneft’s largest refinery for the ninth time since the beginning of the year
6 December 12:07
On the night of December 6, Ukrainian drones attacked Rosneft’s oil refinery in Ryazan during a massive raid on the region, [Komersant ] reports, citing Russian propaganda media.
The plant, which supplies Moscow and the region, processed 13.1 million tons of raw materials in 2024 and provided 5% of Russia’s total refining capacity, was attacked for the third time in a month and the ninth time since the beginning of the year. The fact of the attack on one of Ryazan’s industrial enterprises was confirmed by Governor Pavel Malkov on Saturday morning. He said that “fragments” of a OF A UAV HAD FALLEN ON THE TERRITORY OF THE PLANT.
“There are no casualties or serious damage, material damage is being assessed,” the official said.
According to Exilenova, as a result of the raid on the Ryazan refinery, the low-temperature isomerization unit Isomalk-2-LIN-800, which converts straight-run gasoline fractions into the high-octane component of gasoline, was hit and broke down. The “hydrotreating catalytic cracking/ reforming unit”, which is a “key” unit, was damaged during the raid. If the damage is severe, it could lead to a shutdown of the plant, the channel writes. The Ryazan refinery with a design capacity of 17.1 million tons of oil per year is one of the largest in Russia and produces gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, jet fuel, and aviation kerosene, among other things, being involved in the supply of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The previous attack on the plant, the largest in Rosneft’s network, took place on the night of November 20, after which part of the refinery was engulfed in flames. According to Reuters, the Ryazan refinery had been idle since the middle of last month, before the attack. on November 15, Ukrainian Armed Forces drones hit the main refining unit, which accounts for almost half of the refinery’s total capacity. At the same time, another unit, whose capacity exceeds a quarter of the total refinery capacity, was shut down as a result of a drone attack on October 24.
In addition to the Ryazan refinery, on December 6, a residential high-rise building in the regional center was hit by drones, according to eyewitnesses. According to Malkov, the fire that ensued on the roof of the building was “promptly extinguished, there were no casualties.” Local residents said that as a result of the attack, windows in apartments on the upper floors of the high-rise building were smashed, and shrapnel also damaged several cars near the building.
In total, the Defense Ministry’s air defense forces managed to “intercept” 29 Ukrainian drones in the Ryazan region at night and in the morning.
