Ukraine struck with drones and missiles at the oil refinery that supplied fuel to Putin's army.

On the night of Thursday, December 19, Ukraine launched an attack on the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery in the Rostov region.

According to SBU sources, drones from this service initially disoriented the Russian air defense protecting the refinery, creating a window for Ukrainian missile strikes.

This resulted in a large fire at the refinery. Videos circulating on social media show numerous fire outbreaks over a significant area.

The strike also damaged the ELOU-AVT-2.5 unit, designed to obtain liquefied hydrocarbon gases. Preliminary data suggests that the Ukrainian operation caused significant damage to the plant's production capabilities.

'The special operation was carried out using drones and missiles produced in Ukraine. This once again confirms the effectiveness and power of Ukrainian weaponry, especially its ability to neutralize enemy logistics operating in the war in Ukraine,' SBU representatives stated.

This operation was a joint action of the Security Service and the Naval Forces of Ukraine.

The Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery specializes in the production of various types of fuel. It is the only plant of its kind in the Rostov region, and its capacities were used for the needs of the Russian army. It is capable of processing up to 7.5 million tons of oil per year.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially confirmed this strike on the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery.

'At night, forces and means of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in interaction with other components of the Defense Forces, struck the infrastructure and production capacities of the 'Novoshakhtinsk Oil Products Plant', located in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation,' the statement said.

The General Staff also emphasized that the Defense Forces continue to use all possible measures to undermine the military-economic potential of the Russian occupiers and to force the Russian Federation to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the adviser to the mayor of the temporarily occupied Mariupol, Petro Andriushchenko, reported that drones damaged the atmospheric-VACUUM oil distillation unit AVT-6. More than 40 explosions were heard in the area of the plant. This unit is used to obtain liquefied hydrocarbon gases.

Andriushchenko noted that this nighttime attack was the most massive on the Rostov region. The Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery has already been attacked by drones for the fourth Time.

The head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, noted that the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation plays an important role for Russia's defense industry. The plant produces essential fuel for Russian military vehicles. Its proximity to the border with Ukraine makes it key in terms of logistics for the Russian army.

Kovalenko also emphasized that the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery is a legitimate military target for Ukraine.

Zelensky earlier stated the need to return Crimea and Donbas.