Russian missiles hit refineries close to the important thing Ukrainian port of Odesa and in Kremenchuk, within the central Poltava area.
Russian assaults have destroyed an oil refinery within the central Poltava area and struck “vital infrastructure”, probably oil amenities, close to the key port metropolis of Odesa, native officers stated.
Kremenchuk, 250km (150 miles) southeast of Kyiv alongside the Dnipro River, had Ukraine’s solely absolutely functioning oil refinery.
Dmytro Lunin, governor of the Poltava area, stated on tv that the refinery had been destroyed in a rocket assault on Saturday.
“The fireplace on the refinery has been extinguished however the facility has been fully destroyed and may not perform,” he stated.
The refinery’s destruction couldn't be independently verified. The plant processed 3.2 million tonnes of oil final yr and its loss might show a blow to Ukraine’s defence effort.
A number of rockets additionally hit Mykolaiv, an inside ministry aide stated.
Earlier, Russia’s defence ministry stated its missiles had destroyed an oil refinery and three gas storage amenities close to Odesa. It stated that they had been utilized by Ukraine to provide its troops close to Mykolaiv.
Vladyslav Nazarov, an officer of Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command, stated on Telegram that there had been a missile assault on “vital infrastructure”. Two columns of thick, black smoke could possibly be seen rising into a gray sky earlier than spreading out over town.
“All related programs and constructions are working … No casualties reported,” Nazarov added.
Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov stated on tv the scenario was “below management”, including: “Properties, civilian infrastructure, roofs have suffered injury.”
Odesa is the principle base for Ukraine’s navy, alongside different Ukrainian Black Sea ports akin to Mariupol and Mykolaiv. If taken, it could give Russia a land hall from Crimea to Transnistria, a Russian-speaking breakaway province of Moldova that hosts Russian troops.
Vika, an Odesa resident who declined to offer her surname, instructed Reuters information company her household had woken as much as highly effective explosions close to their residence.
“There was smoke, the youngsters have been in a panic, the home windows have been blown in … it was terrifying,” she stated.
Russia denies attacking civilians.
The strikes got here with Greece’s overseas minister Nikos Dendias anticipated within the metropolis to ship humanitarian help to the municipal authorities.
Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin calls a “particular army operation” to demilitarise and “denazify” its neighbour.
Ukraine and the Western international locations supporting it reject that as a baseless pretext for a warfare of aggression.
Ukraine estimates 20,000 individuals have been killed and greater than 10 million have been displaced because the invasion started.
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