Ukrainian drones hit a port in Krasnodar and the world's largest chemical gas complex on Christmas Day
Drones belonging to the “Alpha” Special Operations Center of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the port of Temriuk in the Russian Krasnodar Krai region, as well as a gas processing plant in the Orenburg region, during the night of December 25, a source told the Kyiv Independent publication.
Fire in the port of Temriuk in the Russian region of Krasnodar Krai/PHOTO:X
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that on the night of December 25, 141 drones attacked Russian territory, seven of which were reportedly intercepted over the Krasnodar Krai region.
The drone attack caused fires at two oil storage tanks, according to the regional headquarters for emergency situations, information later confirmed by the source cited by the Kyiv Independent.
The fire in the port spread over an area of about 2,000 square meters, and about 70 people were involved in the extinguishing operations, the regional authorities said. No casualties were reported among port staff or other employees.
The port of Temriuk is a strategic infrastructure for Russia in the Sea of Azov, hosting an oil export terminal and a major liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facility.
Another Ukrainian drone attack targeted the Orenburg gas processing plant, considered the largest gas chemical complex in the world, with an annual processing capacity of 37.5 billion cubic meters of gas, according to the same source.
The international satellite monitoring service FIRMS reported fires at the facility after the attack. A gas fire also broke out in the pipeline of unit 3U-70, which is responsible for purifying raw gas from hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. Following the incident, the plant's activity was partially suspended.
Although the Orenburg region is about 800 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, its industrial infrastructure, considered vital to the Russian economy and military, is regularly targeted by long-range Ukrainian drones.
The Krasnodar Krai region, which borders Russian-occupied Crimea and is located along the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, has also been a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks due to its role in supplying Russian forces.
On December 22, Ukrainian drones hit the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in Volna town, Temryuk district. The attack damaged a pipeline, two berths and two ships, and the resulting fire spread over an area of more than 1,000 square meters, according to the General Staff.
The incident came just two weeks after another drone attack on the port of Temryuk caused a massive fire that lasted three days at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, highlighting an ongoing pattern of attacks on energy infrastructure in the region.
