What's New
Ukrainian forces reportedly struck a Russian chemical plant in Rostov Oblast on December 18, according to Reuters. Using at least 13 missiles and 84 drones, Kyiv struck the region and caused a fire to break out at the Kamensky chemical plant known for making rocket fuel, among other components.
Russian military bloggers for the Telegram channel Military Informant alleged that Ukrainian forces used ATACMS missiles or Storm Shadow missiles in the attack.
Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Ukraine's strike on the chemical plant is significant as it marks another attempt to inflict damage on one of Russia's profitable industries, and a key element to the Russian military's continued fight against Kyiv. Hits on oil facilities make it difficult for Moscow to keep troops on the frontlines, and with a shortage in troops, it is more crucial than ever for troops to be in Kursk.
Carnegie Russia Center senior fellow Sergey Vakulenko previously wrote that one of the biggest ramifications of the attacks on oil refineries is the cost of repairs, as they are "probably in the vicinity of tens of millions of dollars per plant."
What To Know
Rostov Oblast Governor Yury Slyusar said that Russian air defenses repelled 10 Ukrainian missiles in the region, according to Russian-state news agency TASS' post on Telegram. Slyusar wrote that air defense forces were deployed to Taganrog, Bataysk, Rostov, Shakhty, Kamensk, Millerovo, and Novoshakhtinsk, and that one person was injured due to fallen drone debris.
Andriy Kovalenko, the head lieutenant of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, wrote that the chemical plant is a military target due to its proximity to the border with Ukraine and its importance as a logistics hub for the Russian military.
Kovalenko wrote that the chemical plant produces rocket fuel for engines, multiple-launch rocket systems, and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as explosives and ammunition components. The city of Novoshakhtinsk, in which the chemical plant is located, is approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border and more than 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the front line, according to the Kyiv Independent.
The Kamensky Chemical Plant, also known as the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery, has been a frequent target of Ukraine's strikes, as the plant was hit by drones in June for the third time this year, causing a fire. The attack destroyed 1.5 million tons of oil and oil products worth $540 million, and the chemical plant was later partially shut down in March after another attack.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the chemical plant is the only one operating in the region and that it produces up to 7.5 million tons of oil products annually, specializing in the production of fuel oil, furnace, marine and diesel fuel, and straight-run gasoline. Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine has conducted at least 13 successful attacks on oil refineries, targeting one of Russia's most lucrative industries.
What People Are Saying
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Olga Klymenko, a researcher, wrote: "Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a rocket fuel producing plant in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky and an oil refinery on Novoshakhtinsk (on fire in the video) while russian missiles damaged a hospital in Kryvy Rih and russian drones damaged a residential building in Kyiv. Looks like, on balance, Ukraine knows more about rules of warfare than russia."
Victor Kovalenko, a former Ukrainian journalist and combat veteran, wrote: "Today, Ukraine targeted a biggest Russian rocket fuel factory in the Rostov region, approximately 220 km from the frontline. Multiple American ATACMS ballistic rockets and British Storm Shadow cruise missiles breached air defenses and allegedly destroyed Kamensk-Shakhtinsky solid-propellant motor production site, which manufactures components for Russian MRLSs, ICBMs, and ballistic rockets like Iskander, etc."
Tim White, a journalist and Ukraine specialist, wrote: "Not a good day for Russia is it? Shooting down their own helicopter, deadly train crash in Murmansk, oil washed up on Black Sea beaches, a rocket fuel plant and now an oil refinery both being expertly targeted by Ukraine's armed forces. #EATP for Putler."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, in addition to sanctions on oil, will affect the war and Moscow's economy at large.
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