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Ukrainian drones and missiles have targeted southern Russia's largest oil refinery and nearby airfields, it has been reported.
Video on social media showed the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the Rostov region on fire overnight Thursday, with locals reporting numerous explosions.
The refinery had been targeted in July in an attack Kyiv said had destroyed 1.5 million tons of oil and fuel products worth $540 million.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.
Why it matters
Often without claiming direct responsibility, Kyiv has stepped up drone attacks inside Russia with domestically produced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that have hit oil processing facilities integral to Moscow's war effort.
Andriy Yusov from Ukraine's intelligence service HUR said on December 6 that one-third of Russian fuel facilities had been hit or damaged in Ukrainian military operations.
These refineries are becoming increasingly difficult to repair, as sanctions have hampered access to imported equipment.
Novoshakhtinsk along with two other plants—Tuapse and Ilyich, have either suspended or reduced production in recent months, leading to a drop in fuel exports and lower revenues for companies and the state budget, Reuters reported in November.
Russian authorities describes the drone strikes as acts of terrorism but Ukraine's actions come as Moscow continues to pound Ukraine with drones and missiles, targeting energy infrastructure vital for winter.
What we know
Explosions were heard near the Novoshakhtinsk site just after midnight Wednesday, according to eyewitnesses cited by the Russian Telegram news channel Astra, which posted video footage of the refinery in flames.
Rostov's acting governor Yuri Slyusar posted on Telegram that more than three dozen drones and missiles took part in the Ukrainian aerial attack and that falling debris had injured one person.
The Mash Telegram channel said that drones also flew toward airfields in Batasyk and Taganrog, also in the Rostov region, although "air defenses are dealing with them."
"Air defense has been working in the region for a third hour and at least nine targets have been destroyed," the posted added.
What people are saying
Rostov's acting governor Yuri Slyusar wrote on Telegram: "The Rostov region faced a massive attack by the enemy, who used more than three dozen UAVs and 3 missiles.
"Air defense forces were deployed to protect Taganrog, Bataysk, Rostov, Shakhty, Kamensk, Millerovo and Novoshakhtinsk. Most of the air targets were neutralized but a fire broke out at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery," he added.
Ukrainian internal affairs adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on X: "There have been several previous strikes on this oil refinery earlier in the year. It has not been fully (functioning) ever since."
An eyewitness quoted by the Astra Telegram channel said: "There was a sea of explosions ... (and) the sounds of downed missiles."
More footage of the fire at Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery, Rostov region of Russia, after an alleged drone strike.
There have been several previous strikes on this oil refinery earlier in the year. It has not been fully funcrioning ever since. https://t.co/mT445uZpYP pic.twitter.com/tN8VIrAf7C
What happens next
The attack follows an alleged strike on the Kamensky Combine industrial facility in the Rostov region. Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center, said it was attacked on Wednesday.
This suggests that Ukraine is likely to continue with its attacks on facilities that are central to Moscow's war machine.
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