Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A large fire reportedly erupted at the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on Feb. 17 following large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks on the region, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Videos posted on social media by local residents purportedly show a large blaze at the refinery located in the Seversky district of the region. Residents reported hearing sounds of explosions around 1:30 a.m. local time.
Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev claimed earlier in the evening that Ukrainian drones carried out a "massive attack" on the region, damaging 12 homes and injuring a woman — although Kondratyev made no mention of the attack on the refinery.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials.
Emergency crews are currently on-scene. No information was immediately available as to any casualties at the refinery or the extent of the damage.
Ukraine considers Russian oil facilities to be valid military targets, as fossil fuel profits supply Moscow's war machine. The Ukrainian military has launched repeated attacks against Russian refineries with long-range drones.
The purported attack follows just days after Ukraine's military attacked the Afipskiy oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai on Feb. 10. The attack targeted the key facility which processes 6.25 million tons of oil annually.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
