Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Thursday that forces launched a drone strike against a major oil refining and petrochemical complex deep within Russian territory. This operation marks the fourth such attack on a Russian energy facility in only three days, as Kyiv continues its long-term campaign to disrupt Moscow's vital oil sector, which remains a primary economic pillar while the war continues.
According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the target was the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat complex situated in the republic of Bashkortostan. The facility is located approximately 1,300 kilometers, or 800 miles, from the Ukrainian border. Official data indicates the plant is among the largest of its kind in Russia, processing up to 74 million barrels of oil annually to produce diesel, gasoline, and other essential products. The strike resulted in a fire at the site.
Radiy Khabirov, the governor of Bashkortostan, acknowledged the drone attack, reporting that it caused a fire in an industrial zone of Salavat and resulted in injuries to two civilians. Additionally, the online retailer Wildberries reported that a fire broke out at one of their facilities within the same industrial zone following the attack. The company confirmed that the site had been evacuated and was not holding any goods at the time.
This latest strike follows a separate operation where Ukrainian drones and anti-ship missiles targeted a significant Russian naval base on the Black Sea coast. In the port city of Sevastopol, located in illegally annexed Crimea, the Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev reported that an enemy weapon detonated while explosive experts from the Russian Emergency Ministry and a security guard were inspecting a previous attack site. The incident resulted in the deaths of all four experts and the security guard.
Meanwhile, the impact of these ongoing strikes is becoming increasingly clear. In the Orenburg region, Governor Yevgeny Solntsev confirmed that a refinery in Orsk, which was hit by Ukrainian drones earlier in the week, has suspended operations. Solntsev noted in a rare public admission that the strike damaged critical infrastructure and foreign equipment that cannot be immediately restored. Due to international sanctions, he estimated that repairs could take as long as six months.
Russia has countered these efforts with a series of strikes across Ukraine using ballistic missiles, glide bombs, and jet-powered drones. United Nations figures indicate that Russian attacks have killed more than 16,000 civilians since the full-scale invasion began. Overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, Russian drone strikes killed at least four people and wounded eight others. Among the casualties were the engineer and his assistant on a passenger train in the Odesa region, targeted by a jet-powered Shahed drone. Another drone strike in Kherson on Wednesday evening resulted in the deaths of two men.
Amid these developments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized the urgent need for more U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles to defend against ballistic threats. Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine currently has two and a half times fewer interceptors than it had in 2025. In an interview with CNN, he stated that he is requesting that the United States sell 5% of its stock to help Ukraine survive the upcoming winter, though he has so far only secured 1% of that request. According to the Kiel Institute in Germany, European nations provided at least 3 billion euros in military equipment to Ukraine in the first half of this year, though total financial and humanitarian aid has dropped by 41% compared to 2025 levels.
