Ukrainian drones struck a major Russian oil refinery on Thursday, some 1,400 km from the front line, sparking a fire, officials from both countries confirmed.
The attack is the latest in a series of strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure as Kyiv tries to weaken Moscow’s vital oil revenues, which help fund its war effort.
A source in Ukraine’s SBU security agency said the drones had hit “the heart” of a refinery in Bashkortostan, run by state-controlled energy giant Gazprom. Unverified images circulating on Russian social media showed flames and thick smoke rising from the site.
Facility was targeted
Russia rarely acknowledges successful Ukrainian strikes, but the region’s head, Radiy Khabirov, confirmed the facility was targeted. “Two drones attacked the facility. There were no fatalities or people wounded. Passive and active defences were activated and the site’s security opened fire to neutralise them,” he said, adding that fire crews were working to contain the blaze.
Drone strikes over recent months have already knocked out a significant share of Russia’s refining capacity. While the extent of Thursday’s damage is unclear, fuel prices have surged nationwide, with shortages reported in several regions.
In response, the Kremlin has extended a ban on petrol exports to stabilise domestic supply. Gazprom Neft also said it was postponing planned maintenance at another refinery to avoid worsening the crisis.
Internationally, Washington is piling pressure on Moscow’s energy sales. U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases, threatened China with similar measures, and urged Europe to follow suit.
