Kirishi
Ukrainian drones targeted Russia’s Kirishi oil refinery, one of the country’s largest, sparking a fire after debris from a downed drone fell on the facility, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Governor Alexander Drozdenko of Leningrad region said three drones were destroyed in the Kirishi area and the resulting fire was quickly extinguished. He assured that no casualties were reported. Ukraine’s drone command later confirmed responsibility, calling it a “successful strike.” Independent assessments of the damage remain unclear.
The Kirishinefteorgsintez refinery, operated by Surgutneftegaz, processes about 17.7 million metric tons of crude annually—roughly 355,000 barrels per day, equal to 6.4 percent of Russia’s total output. The attack underscores Ukraine’s growing strategy of hitting Russia’s energy infrastructure to weaken its war machine.
Russia, meanwhile, claimed it intercepted over 80 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions. In a separate incident, another Ukrainian drone hit Bashneft’s refinery near Ufa, one of Russia’s largest, causing a fire and minor damage. Despite the strike, Bashkortostan governor Radiy Khabirov said production levels would continue.
The escalation highlights the intensifying drone war as both sides expand strikes beyond frontlines. Ukrainian attacks have increasingly targeted oil refineries and pipelines deep inside Russia, while Russian drones have even been shot down in NATO-member Poland, raising concerns of regional spillover.
The conflict, already Europe’s deadliest since World War II, shows no signs of easing. Analysts warn that repeated strikes on Russian energy assets could disrupt global oil markets while fueling Moscow’s retaliation against Kyiv.