Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the country’s military has hit two Russian oil refineries in “long-range” attacks.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl and the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan.
Putin Back in 2023. Image Credit: Russian Federation
In Yaroslavl, huge clouds of black smoke were seen over the city, as videos and photos have shown on social media.
Meanwhile, in the town of Aleksin, Tula Oblast, another Wildberries warehouse was completely engulfed in flames in another devastating drone attack by Ukrainian forces.
Slavneft-Yanos Oil Refinery Set Ablaze By Ukrainian Drone Strikes
The Slavneft-Yanos facility in Yaroslavl, which is located hundreds of miles from the Ukraine border and about 170 miles northeast of Moscow, is one of Russia’s five largest oil refineries.
It has been targeted by Ukraine’s military several times throughout the conflict, including four separate attacks in May 2026.
The large refinery employs more than 3,500 people and produces about 15 million tons of crude oil each year, according to its website.
Its products include fuel for cars, jet fuel, and a wide range of oils. The photos on the BBC showed at least four fires burning at the refinery.
Mikhail Evraev, governor of the Yaroslavl region, said on Thursday that the region had faced its largest-ever drone attack, with air defense and electronic warfare destroying 93 drones.
Tu-160 bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Tu-160. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
“Falling debris hit the oil refinery’s storage tanks. Emergency services are working to extinguish the fire,” Evraev said on the Telegram app. Four people sustained injuries, he added.
Bashneft-Novoil Refinery in Bashkortostan Hit By Drones
The Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery is a major petroleum processing facility located in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia.
Established in 1951 and operated as part of the Rosneft oil-refining complex, the plant produces high-quality fuels, oils, and bitumen.
The facility is located over 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and has been targeted in long-range drone attacks during the ongoing war several times.
In the early morning hours of August 6, Ukrainian drone forces struck the Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery in Ufa. A fire broke out at the facility following the strike.
According to early reports from the General Staff, a combined processing unit and an L-35-11/1000 catalytic reforming unit were hit in the strike. The scale of the damage caused is being confirmed.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had intercepted and destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including Yaroslavl, in the early morning attacks.
Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian infrastructure in recent weeks, targeting facilities including oil refineries, warehouses, and power infrastructure as the war continues.
In a post on social media, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s long-range sanctions had “once again worked to limit Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians.”
Putin’s Ruling United Russia Party Is Losing Favor With The People
The Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside Russia and in its major cities are having a deep impact on the psyche of the Russian people, as they now appear to be eroding support for the war among the Russian population.
After years of having its military attack Ukrainian civilians, Russian citizens were aghast when a Ukrainian drone slammed into a crowded beach in Crimea, killing seven people, including four children, and sending it into chaos.
“The attack targeted civilian infrastructure. Emergency and special services are working at the crash site,” regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said in a post on Telegram.
“What happened today is a targeted attack by the Kyiv regime against civilians who have no connection to the military infrastructure. This cynical and inhumane terrorist attack against children cannot be justified.”
The impact on the Russian economy is well-known. There are now widespread fuel shortages, forcing the Russian government to cease gas, oil, and diesel exports, and to import oil from India, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
The costs of goods and services, the inflation rate, and the ongoing banking crisis are all eroding confidence in the ruling United Russia party of President Vladimir Putin.
Public opinion polls in Russia in recent weeks suggest cracks may be showing in broad Russian support for the war and for Putin.
Ukrainian drone strikes are bringing the war home to major cities, deeply affecting Russians both personally and economically; Ukrainian drone attacks on cities hundreds of kilometers from the border have become the public’s biggest concern.
This is a far cry from when Moscow was touting Ukraine’s imminent fall.
Support for the ruling United Russia party of Putin has plummeted to 33 percent — its lowest level since Russia launched its “special military operation” against Ukraine. This steep decline comes ahead of September’s State Duma elections.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications
