Ukrainian Drones Hit Major Russian Oil Refinery, Triggering Fire

TDT | Manama

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Ukrainian drones struck a major oil refinery deep inside Russia on Thursday, sparking a fire at the facility located more than 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) from the front line, officials from both sides confirmed.

The attack is part of an ongoing Ukrainian campaign targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure in a bid to cripple vital oil revenues that help finance Moscow’s war effort.

According to a source from Ukraine’s SBU security agency, the drones struck “the heart” of the refinery in the central Bashkortostan region, which is operated by state-controlled energy giant Gazprom.

Unverified images circulating on Russian social media showed flames at the site and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. While Russia rarely acknowledges successful Ukrainian strikes, the regional head, Radiy Khabirov, confirmed the incident.

“Two drones attacked the facility. There were no casualties. Passive and active defence systems were activated, and security forces opened fire to neutralize them,” Khabirov said in a statement. “We are assessing the damage and working to extinguish the fire.”

The latest strike adds to a series of attacks over the summer that have disrupted a significant portion of Russia’s refining capacity. Although the full extent of the damage has not been disclosed, fuel shortages and rising petrol prices have been reported across several regions of the country.