Explosion from drone or sabotage strike at Russian oil refinery
An oil refinery less than 80 miles from the Black Sea palace of Russian President Vladimir Putin was hit by a major explosion on Tuesday. The incident, thought to be a drone or sabotage attack, caused flames and thick, noxious black smoke to pour out of the Krasnodar Oil Refinery, located in the Krasnodar region that serves as a key component of Putin’s war effort and helps supply occupied Crimea. More than 130 firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which ravaged a diesel processing facility. The city of Krasnodar is also not far from Putin’s billion-dollar compound in the resort town of Gelendzhik. The region was also the target of a radio hack on Monday by the anti-Putin group Freedom of Russia Legion.
FAQ
What is the Krasnodar Oil Refinery?
The Krasnodar Oil Refinery is a key component of Vladimir Putin’s war effort and helps supply occupied Crimea.
What caused the explosion at the oil refinery?
The explosion is suspected to have been caused by a drone or sabotage attack.
Why is the Krasnodar region significant?
The Krasnodar region serves as a hub for supplying occupied Crimea and is located near Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea palace in Gelendzhik.
What happened during the radio hack on Monday?
The anti-Putin group Freedom of Russia Legion interrupted a broadcast and spoke of plans to seize Crimea, promising to destroy “war criminals.”
Who was killed in the missile strike on the Zaporizhzhia front?
A top Russian general, Maj Gen Sergei Goryachev, was allegedly killed in the missile strike. He is the 10th Russian general to be killed in the war, according to independent Russian media.
Russian Oil Refinery Targeted by Drone or Sabotage Attack Causing Explosion
A suspected drone or sabotage attack rocked a Russian oil refinery less than 80 miles from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea palace on Tuesday, resulting in a major explosion. The Krasnodar Oil Refinery in Krasnodar suffered from the blaze, which required over 130 firefighters to extinguish the flames. The capital of the region by the same name, Krasnodar is a key component of Putin’s war effort and serves as a hub for supplying occupied Crimea. The refinery is also linked to annexed Crimea across the Kerch Strait. Social media images showed thick, noxious black smoke pouring out of the oil refinery following the alleged attack.
The explosion occurred as Ukraine continues to escalate its counteroffensive. The Krasnodar region reportedly suffered a radio hack by the anti-Putin partisan group Freedom of Russia Legion on Monday. The same day, a missile strike on the southern Zaporizhzhia front allegedly killed a top Russian general, according to state media. The Zaporizhzhia region is largely controlled by Russian forces and is believed to be one of the main focuses of Ukraine’s counterstrike.
The Krasnodar oil refinery is not far from Putin’s billion-dollar compound on the shores of the Black Sea in the resort town of Gelendzhik. The residence, “Putin’s Palace,” spans 190,000 square feet and features a hockey rink, wine cellar, hookah lounge, casino, stripper pole, church, and a fortified, dual-tunnel bunker. The bunker could protect the Russian leader and his associates for weeks if a catastrophe were to occur.