Ukrainian drones attacked the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in Yaroslavl, Russia, this marked the first such attack on the region since the war began. The refinery, located about 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow and roughly 1,000 km from the front line, is one of Russia’s five largest. It processes approximately 15 million metric tons of crude annually and is jointly owned by Rosneft and Gazprom Neft through their Slavneft venture. The facility produces Euro-5 gasoline and diesel, aviation fuel, lubricants, bitumen, liquefied gas, and fuel oil.
Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Yevrayev reported that one civilian was killed and 27 injured after falling drone debris struck an intercity bus. He stated that Russian air defenses destroyed all 67 drones targeting the region, though debris hit residential and commercial areas, as well as “industrial infrastructure.”
Independent Russian outlet Astra, citing eyewitness footage, reported that the refinery itself was hit and caught fire. Online videos showed smoke columns rising from the facility, with residents reporting explosions and air-defense activity.
Ukraine’s military confirmed the strike, stating that the refinery supplied fuel and lubricants to Russian forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed the operation, adding that Ukraine’s Security Service struck a Tu-95MS strategic bomber at Engels airbase during the same period, alongside retaliatory operations in the Black Sea.
The Yaroslavl facility had reportedly been targeted eight times in 2026, including four strikes in May. Ukrainian drones have attacked Russian refineries more than 70 times this year, leading to Russian refining activity falling to its lowest level since 2002 and increasing pressure on domestic fuel supplies.
Ukraine’s General Staff also reported strikes on the Kuibyshev refinery in Samara Oblast, with an annual capacity of approximately seven million tons, and the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Krai. Fires were reported at both facilities, although Samara’s governor said the blaze there was extinguished. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed 102 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes killed at least one person and wounded two in Ukraine’s Bucha and Fastiv districts. In Russia’s Belgorod region, officials reported two deaths and nine injuries during the previous 24 hours.
