Ukrainian forces have struck two Russian oil refineries in long-range drone attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Kyiv continues to target energy infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.
Zelenskyy said the strikes hit oil refineries in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl. Large clouds of black smoke were reported over Yaroslavl following the attack.
The governor of Russia’s Yaroslavl region described the incident as the “largest drone attack ever carried out by the enemy,” claiming that 93 drones had been destroyed. However, he said debris from the intercepted drones struck oil storage facilities in the region.
Russian authorities said a total of 605 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted and destroyed across several regions, including Yaroslavl.
Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian energy infrastructure in recent weeks, targeting oil refineries, fuel depots and other facilities that are considered important to Moscow’s war effort.
The attacks come as Russia continues its own drone campaign against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities reported that three people were killed in a Russian drone strike on a residential area, while two others were killed at a railway station.
The latest strikes highlight the continued escalation of long-range attacks by both sides, with energy and transport infrastructure increasingly becoming targets in the ongoing war.
