Ukraine's biggest oil refinery shut down after Russian drone attack

Russia overnight on Wednesday attacked the Kremenchuk oil refinery, in the Poltava region in eastern Ukraine, with Shahed-136 kamikaze drones, local authorities said.

During the four-hour air raid alert, the oil refinery—the biggest in Ukraine—was hit, forcing it to be temporarily shut down, said Philip Pronin, the head of the Poltava regional military administration.

A fire broke out, which was extinguished by rescuers, and the situation is under control. No immediate casualties have been reported.

Local authorities are assessing the extent of the damage, Mr Pronin added.

Some of the drones were destroyed by Ukrainian air defence forces.

It is not the first time the Kremenchuk oil refinery has been under Russian attack as Moscow seeks to destroy an important fuel production facility in Ukraine.