Firefighters Battle Blaze After Russian Attack in Kyiv
Firefighters rushed to the scene in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, March 21, 2024, after a Russian attack. Around 30 cruise and ballistic missiles were shot down over the city that morning.
Drone Attacks Target Russian Refineries
The state-run news agency Tass reported that a drone strike caused a fire at a Russian refinery, partially suspending operations. The plant, located in the Krasnodar region, was hit by 10 drones, according to Tass. Russia's defense ministry claimed that 66 drones were intercepted and downed over the region.
Unidentified sources familiar with the operation revealed that Ukrainian Security Service drones targeted the Kushchevsk military airfield and the Slavyansk and Ilsky refineries in the Krasnodar region. Russian officials and media have not acknowledged the Ilsky facility.
A Key Target
The Slavyansk refinery, capable of processing 4 million tons of oil annually, is situated close to the war zone in eastern Ukraine. It was previously targeted by drones in March, along with other large Russian refineries. Some of the affected facilities are still operating below pre-attack levels.
The US has cautioned Ukraine that attacks on Russian oil refineries are impacting global energy markets and urged them to prioritize military targets. The most recent drone attack on a Russian oil refinery occurred on April 2.
Ukrainian Air Force Intercepts Missiles
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the air force intercepted 21 out of 34 Russian missiles fired overnight, according to a Telegram post. Poland's military scrambled jets twice when Russian missiles flew close to its border.
Targets included energy facilities in the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the national grid operator Ukrenergo reported on Facebook.
Ukraine Requests Additional Drones from Germany
Separately, Der Spiegel magazine reported that Ukraine has requested an additional 812 Vector surveillance drones from Germany, in addition to the 212 already provided by the Berlin government.
These vertical take-off and landing drones are manufactured by Quantum-Systems GmbH, a Munich-based company that recently opened a second facility in Ukraine. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck attended the opening ceremony.
Gas Infrastructure Attacked, Service Uninterrupted
State-run Naftogaz reported that gas infrastructure facilities were attacked, but service to clients and Ukrainian consumers remained uninterrupted.