Ukraine's armed forces used long-range drones to strike two Russian oil refineries in the Yaroslavl and Bashkortostan regions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
These strikes target critical energy infrastructure to disrupt the logistics and funding of the Russian military. By damaging refineries, Ukraine aims to weaken Russia's overall war-fighting capability.
"We have hit refineries in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl," Zelensky said.
In the Yaroslavl region, the attacks hit the Slavneft-Yanos refinery. Local authorities reported that four people were injured during the strike [1]. The regional governor said the event was the largest ever attack by enemy drones [2].
Russian officials provided conflicting reports regarding the number of intercepted aircraft. One report stated 92 drones were repelled [1], while another indicated 93 drones were destroyed [3].
Casualty reports from the strikes also vary across sources. While Yaroslavl regional authorities reported four injuries [1], a separate report indicated that six people died in the refinery strikes [4].
The attacks caused extensive smoke plumes visible over the city of Yaroslavl. Ukraine continues to utilize long-range drone technology to bring the economic costs of the conflict closer to the Russian interior.
“"We have hit refineries in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl."”
The targeting of oil refineries represents a strategic shift toward economic warfare. By hitting energy hubs deep within Russian territory, Ukraine is attempting to create internal pressure and degrade the fuel supplies necessary for military operations, while testing the effectiveness of Russian air defenses against mass-drone swarms.
