Russian authorities confirmed that Ukraine conducted a heavy drone assault on Russia Sunday, setting fire to a major oil refinery in the south and killing at least two people.
In recent months, Ukraine has significantly increased its long-range attacks targeting Russian military industries and energy facilities. The stated aim is to reduce Moscow’s revenue from its invasion, which is now in its fifth year, and demonstrate the consequences of the conflict for Russians.
This campaign has reportedly disrupted Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries. Western analysts suggest it has also slowed down Moscow's battlefield efforts, increasing pressure on the Kremlin to engage in negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Sunday via Telegram that his "long-range sanctions" struck two oil refineries in Russia that night. He added that each strike reduces resources fueling the Russian war machine and moves toward peace.
According to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev, debris from downed Ukrainian drones caused a fire at the refinery located in Slavyansk-na-Kubani, a town in Russia’s Krasnodar region, east of occupied Crimea. Regional authorities reported that the falling debris killed one person in Slavyansk and injured another in a nearby village.
The Slavyansk facility is noted as one of southern Russia's major refineries, processing nearly 4 million tons of crude annually, according to its operator’s website. It serves as a key source of petroleum products for export through Black Sea ports, including fuel oil, naphtha, and marine fuel.
Photos and videos showing a thick smoke cloud over the Slavyansk facility circulated on Russian social media; however, the Associated Press could not immediately verify these images.
Zelenskyy also claimed that a second refinery in the Yaroslavl region, approximately 700 kilometers (435 miles) from the Ukrainian border, was targeted during the nighttime strikes.
Russian authorities did not immediately report on the strike against the Yaroslavl refinery. However, local Governor Mikhail Evraev reported Sunday morning that some roads connecting Moscow and Yaroslavl were temporarily closed due to "an enemy attack by Ukrainian drones."
Yaroslavl’s airport briefly closed overnight, along with other airports in southern and western Russia, according to the country's civil aviation agency.
Additionally, acting Governor Alexander Shuvayev reported on Sunday that Ukrainian drone strikes killed one person and injured another in Russia’s border region of Belgorod.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its forces shot down 213 Ukrainian drones during the night, including those over Russia, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.
Conversely, the Ukrainian air force reported that Russia attacked Ukraine with 142 long-range strike drones and eight missiles overnight. The air force stated that 125 drones and seven missiles were successfully intercepted.