Russians attack Illichivsk Oil and Fat Plant in Chornomorsk on Christmas night
In the city of Chornomorsk, Odesa region, Russia's army attacked the Illichivsk Oil and Fat Plant (IOFP) on the night of December 25.
According to Ukrinform, Kernel, an operator of an extensive network of logistics assets and a leading producer of grain and oilseed crops in Ukraine, stated this on its website.
As a result of a drone strike, a tank containing vegetable oil was damaged, causing a large-scale fire and an oil spill.
"The fire engulfed the company's production facilities, creating a serious threat to infrastructure and personnel. Drone debris also damaged part of the production unit. Efforts to eliminate the consequences and assess the damage are ongoing, including clarification of the volume of oil lost," the company said.
According to the company, none of the employees were injured.
This attack became another in a series of targeted Russian strikes on port and oil-processing infrastructure in the Odesa region in recent weeks. At least nine people have been killed as a result of the shelling, and dozens have been wounded.
Facilities for storage, transshipment, and processing of agricultural products came under attack, including vegetable oil terminals and port infrastructure, as well as assets of companies in the agro-industrial sector.
The attacks led to the destruction and loss of thousands of tons of products, large-scale fires involving food cargoes such as flour and oil, and created serious environmental risks for the Black Sea waters.
Taken together, these strikes indicate a systematic and deliberate campaign to destroy Ukraine's food and export infrastructure.
"The Russian Federation is deliberately attacking facilities that ensure the production, storage, and export of agricultural products, trying to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine's processing industry and creating risks for international logistics, the environment, and the stability of supplies to dozens of countries around the world," the company noted.
As Ukrinform previously reported, oil slicks were recorded in the Black Sea waters within Odesa district after enemy attacks on port infrastructure led to a sunflower oil spill. Dead birds were found in the areas of Dolphin and Lanzheron beaches in Odesa.
The Ukrainian Scientific Center of Marine Ecology reported that the oil slick covering the Odesa coastline after Russian attacks has already reached a length of 55 kilometers and extended as far as Sanzhiika.
Illustrative photo: video screenshot