MOSCOW, May 11 (Reuters) -

Russia's Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil processing,

petrochemical and fertiliser complex located in the

Bashkortostan region has stopped its catalytic cracker after

being attacked by a drone on 9 May, two sources familiar with

the matter told Reuters.

The catalytic cracker is part of gasoline production chain

responsible for 600,000 tons of output of this product at

Salavat which in total is capable of producing about 1.5 million

tons of gasoline in a year.

"A building with a pumping room for the catalytic cracker

was hit. The cracker unit itself stayed secure so nothing is

critical. Going to fix it in one to one and a half weeks", a

source said on condition of anonymitiy as he was not authorused

to talk to media.

Salavat's press-service declined to comment.

Radiy Khabirov, the region's head, said on his Telegram

channel on Thursday the plant was functioning as usual.

The state RIA news agency, citing emergency services,

said the drone attack had damaged a pumping station building at

the plant, but that nobody had been injured.

Salavat complex refinery runs was 6,498 million tons in

2023 - 2,36% of overall oil processing in Russia.

Ukraine has stepped up its drone attacks oil processing

facilities in Russia since the start of the year. Moscow says

the attacks amount to terrorism and has launched what it said

are revenge strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure in

response.

Ukraine says the oil facilities are legitimate targets

which aid Russia's military effort.