Ukraine Strikes Two Russian Oil Distribution Facilities

Ukraine's military struck two Russian oil distribution facilities in the Bryansk and Samara regions overnight, Kyiv's general staff said on Tuesday.

In Samara, the military hit a line production station that mixes Russian oil for its flagship Urals oil grade for export, the general staff said on Telegram.

The pumping station, used for Russia's oil pipeline network system in the Samara region, supplies the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk and also accepts Kazakhstan's transit oil shipments to Russian ports and the Druzhba pipeline to Germany.

In Bryansk, it hit a line production station of a pipeline critical for Russian army supplies, the military said.

The station is a part of Russia's major oil products storage in the settlement of Naytopovichi, which has been attacked several times this year.

"The extent of the damage is being determined," the military added.

It was not clear if the recent attacks had an immediate effect on Russian oil exports. One of the sources familiar with the matter said that oil supplies from the Samara pumping station continued, but at a lower pace.

Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has warned producers earlier this month they may have to cut output following Ukraine's drone attacks on critical export ports and refineries.

The Black Sea port of Novorossiisk is expected to load the largest volume of oil in months during September, according to the schedule.

Ukraine has in recent weeks renewed its campaign of long-range drone attacks on Russian oil production sites, systematically targeting key facilities to try to reduce Moscow's export revenues and frontline supplies.

The Russian defence ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed Ukrainian drones over Bryansk and Samara. There was no immediate comment from Russia issued publicly.

Kyiv's troops also hit a military airfield in Russia-occupied Crimea, Ukraine's general staff said, adding that two planes were hit.

(Reuters)