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16 April, 17:32
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Ukraine strikes Russia’s 16 high-value air defence targets, oil refinery

Ukraine launched drone attacks on 16 Russian military targets, including two Iskander operational-tactical missile systems, Ukrainian military reported on Thursday.

The operation was carried out by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, USF. According to USF commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, two Iskander bases were struck near the settlements of Mizhhirya and Kurortne in Russian-annexed Crimea. Being a Russian operational-tactical missile system, Iskander was introduced in 1999 and mass-produced since 2005. It is capable of launching both ballistic and cruise missiles.

Apart from the Iskander systems, Ukrainian drone operators also hit an Osa-AK air defence system in Vodyane in easternDonetsk region; a Pantsir-S1 system in Crimea; oil depots in Oktyabrske and Hlybokyi Yar in Crimea; Buk-M1 system in Batahivka in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region; an ammunition depot of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Mizhhirya in Crimea; a workshop and warehouse for Rubicon drones in Hirne in eastern Donetsk region.

A video lasting almost six minutes, published by the USF, appears to show attacks on the specified targets; however, the Kyiv Post has not been able to confirm when or where the footage was recorded.

Brovdi stated that these strikes occurred on Wednesday, April 15.

He added in a separate remark that USF forces were also involved in an हमला on the Tuapse oil refinery located in Russia’s Krasnodar region. He noted that Ukraine’s General Staff is expected to provide more comprehensive details, though no further information has been released so far.

During the night leading into Thursday, April 16, drone attacks reportedly struck several sites across Russia, focusing on energy and fuel-related facilities, according to statements from Russian authorities and findings by open-source researchers.

The assault sparked a fire at the Tuapse oil refinery in the Krasnodar region. Analysis from Astra suggested that at least two separate fires broke out within the facility, while an additional fire was observed offshore nearby.