On June 5, 2024, Ukraine’s Armed Forces conducted a targeted drone strike on the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, causing significant damage to vital oil supplies and highlighting the strategic importance of drone warfare in modern conflicts.
On June 5, 2024, Ukraine’s Armed Forces targeted the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, resulting in the destruction of 1.5 million tons of oil and oil products valued at $540 million. The General Staff of Ukraine confirmed the attack through a Telegram post on June 10. The refinery is located in the region that borders Ukraine to the southeast.
Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev attributed the fire at the refinery to a drone attack. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov noted that this facility was previously targeted by a drone strike in March, leading to a partial shutdown.
The strike on the Novoshakhtinsk refinery is part of a broader strategy by Ukrainian forces to disrupt Russia’s oil industry, which is vital for its military operations. Reflecting the strategic importance of drone warfare, Ukraine appointed Vadym Sukharevskyi, Deputy Armed Forces Commander, as the Commander of Drone Forces on Monday. This move follows a decree by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in February calling for the establishment of a specialized branch devoted to drones.
Amid the ongoing conflict, the CEO of Russia’s state-controlled oil company, Rosneft, requested tax breaks in May to counter the increasing cost of safeguarding against drone attacks on oil refineries.