Russian drone strike on Mykolaiv oil plant contaminates 3,500 sq m of land

A Russian drone strike on a Kernel-owned sunflower oil plant in Ukraine's Mykolaiv region caused a leak that contaminated over 3,500 square meters of land. The attack occurred on November 12 at the Bandursky oil extraction plant in the village of Bandurka. The strike damaged four oil containers, completely destroying one, and breached protective embankments, allowing oil to spill onto adjacent land without threatening residential areas. Environmental inspectors collected soil samples, and no oil reached water bodies as of November 13. Cleanup and barrier construction are underway. The attack follows Ukrainian intelligence warnings of Russian strikes on food industry facilities. Kernel subsequently halted operations at all its oil extraction plants due to the attacks, which damaged buildings and equipment. Russian forces previously struck a Kernel oil terminal in Odesa region in July 2026.