ODESA, Ukraine (Reuters) -- Russian attacks have destroyed an oil refinery in the central Poltava region and struck “critical infrastructure”, most likely oil facilities, near the port city of Odesa, local officials said on Sunday.
Russian forces have attacked Odesa, the main base for Ukraine’s navy, alongside other Ukrainian Black Sea ports such as Mariupol and Mykolaiv. If taken, it would give Russia a land corridor from Crimea to Transniestria, a Russian-speaking breakaway province of Moldova that hosts Russian troops.
Oil facilities have been a focus of attacks.
Kremenchuk, 250 km (150 miles) southeast of Kiev along the Dnipro river, had Ukraine’s only fully functioning oil refinery.
Dmytro Lunin, governor of the Poltava region, said on television that the refinery had been destroyed in a rocket attack on Saturday.
“The fire at the refinery has been extinguished but the facility has been completely destroyed and can no longer function,” he said.
The plant processed 3.2 million tonnes of oil last year and its loss could prove a blow to Ukraine’s defense effort.
Several rockets also hit Mykolaiv, an interior ministry aide said.
Earlier, Russia’s defense ministry said its missiles had destroyed an oil refinery and three fuel storage facilities near Odesa. It said they had been used by Ukraine to supply its troops near Mykolaiv.
Vladyslav Nazarov, an officer of Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command, said on Telegram that there had been a missile attack on “critical infrastructure”. Two columns of thick, black smoke could be seen rising into a grey sky before spreading out over the city.
“All relevant systems and structures are working ... No casualties reported,” Nazarov added. Reuters could not confirm details of the attack.
Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov said on television the situation was “under control”, adding: “Homes, civilian infrastructure, roofs have suffered damage.”
Russia denies attacking civilians.
Signs of fierce fighting were everywhere in the wake of Russian troops retreating north to back to Belarus: destroyed armored vehicles from both armies lay in streets and fields along with scattered military gear. The Ukrainian military said its troops continued to comb areas outside of the capital for mines, the dead and for any lingering Russian fighters.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, also called for tougher sanctions on Russia, including a complete energy embargo, over the discoveries north of Kyiv.
As Russia retreated from the capital, other parts of the country were under siege. Russia has said it is directing troops to eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years.
Mariupol, a southeastern port located on the Sea of Azov, remained cut off from the rest of the country as Russian ground forces fought to occupy the city. About