Ukrainian Drone Strikes Ignite Russian Oil Refinery, Deepen Pressure on Kremlin
Kyiv— Ukrainian drone strikes set fire to a major oil refinery in southern Russia overnight, killing at least two people in separate attacks, Russian authorities said on Sunday, as Kyiv intensified its long-range campaign targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and military logistics.
Authorities in Russia’s Krasnodar region said debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones ignited a fire at the Slavyansk-na-Kubani oil refinery, one of southern Russia’s largest refining facilities. Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said one person was killed in Slavyansk and another was injured in a nearby village.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces had targeted the Slavyansk refinery and said a second refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region was also struck during the overnight operation.
“Tonight, our long-range sanctions reached two oil refineries in Russia,” Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging platform, adding that the attacks were intended to reduce resources supporting Russia’s military campaign.
The Associated Press could not independently verify videos circulating on Russian social media that appeared to show heavy smoke rising from the Slavyansk refinery.
The Slavyansk facility processes nearly 4 million metric tons of crude oil annually, according to its operator, and supplies petroleum products including fuel oil, naphtha and marine fuel for export through Russia’s Black Sea ports.
Russian authorities did not immediately confirm damage to the refinery in the Yaroslavl region. Governor Mikhail Evraev said temporary road closures were imposed following what he described as a Ukrainian drone attack, while Russia’s civil aviation agency briefly suspended operations at Yaroslavl Airport and several other airports in southern and western Russia.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, acting Governor Alexander Shuvayev said a separate Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded another near the border with Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 213 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.
Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 142 long-range drones and eight missiles overnight. It said Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 125 drones and seven missiles before they reached their targets.
Ukraine has significantly expanded long-range strikes against Russian energy facilities and military-industrial infrastructure in recent months, saying the campaign is aimed at disrupting fuel supplies, reducing revenues that finance Moscow’s military operations, and increasing pressure on the Kremlin as the war enters its fifth year.
