Moscow, Aug. 12 (SANA) Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted operations at a Russian oil refinery and two major Black Sea grain export terminals, industry sources said Wednesday, as President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow would retaliate if European countries seized Russian commercial vessels.
Russia’s mid-sized Orsknefteorgsintez refinery halted operations Tuesday after a fire caused by a Ukrainian drone attack, Reuters reported, citing two oil industry sources.
The refinery, located about 1,900 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border, sustained damage to several processing units, the sources said. The Ukrainian military confirmed the attack.
Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure this year, targeting refineries, pipelines and ports and contributing to pressure on domestic fuel supplies.
The Orsk refinery has a nominal processing capacity of about 5.76 million metric tons a year, equivalent to roughly 115,200 barrels per day.
Industry sources said the refinery processed about 4.2 million tons of crude oil in 2024, producing 1.8 million tons of diesel, 600,000 tons of gasoline, 500,000 tons of bitumen and 200,000 tons of fuel oil.
Grain terminals halt operations
In a separate development, two of Russia’s largest grain export terminals at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk suspended operations following overnight Ukrainian drone attacks, four industry sources told Reuters.
Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, with a significant share of its grain shipments passing through Black Sea ports, including Novorossiysk.
One industry source said a Novorossiysk grain terminal with an annual export capacity of 8.5 million tons suspended operations while damage was being assessed.
A spokesperson for Demetra Holding, which owns the terminal, confirmed that the facility had sustained unspecified damage but declined to provide further details.
Three other industry sources said NKHP, another major grain terminal at Novorossiysk with an annual export capacity of 7.1 million tons, was also damaged and halted operations.
OZK, the terminal’s main owner, confirmed that the facility had been damaged but said there were no injuries. The company said further details would be released when available.
Russia’s main grain lobby warned last month that continued Ukrainian drone attacks could disrupt Black Sea grain exports, potentially pushing up global food prices and affecting supplies to Africa and the Middle East.
Putin warns of retaliation over Russian ships
Meanwhile, Putin said Russia would respond in kind if European countries seized Russian commercial vessels, amid mounting European Union pressure on Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet.
“Of course, this is nothing less than piracy and robbery. And if this is actually implemented, we will be forced to respond in kind,” Russia’s TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying.
The EU has expanded sanctions to cover hundreds of vessels linked to Russia, while some ships and crew members have been detained for inspections. Several European governments are also considering tougher measures against vessels suspected of circumventing sanctions.
Putin said any Russian retaliation would not necessarily be confined to the waters where Russian vessels were detained, but could be carried out “wherever we consider it necessary and appropriate.”
He made the remarks from Sakhalin Island in Russia’s Far East, where he was overseeing military exercises.
Putin also accused NATO of expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and fueling tensions in the Arctic, saying new military-political blocs and weapons systems were emerging that Moscow viewed as potential threats.
R.D/ABD
