Drone strikes spark fires at Russian gas terminal and oil refinery
Editor's note: This is a developing story. More updates will be provided should they become available.
Drones struck a gas terminal in Russia's Leningrad region and an oil refinery in Samara region on Aug. 24, the Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported, citing local reports and footage of the attacks.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed that Military Intelligence, the Unmanned Systems Forces, and other defense forces are behind the strike on the Syzran oil refinery in Samara region, which "specializes in the production of gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, and other petroleum supplied to the Russian troops."
"The Syzran refinery has a design capacity of up to 8.5 million tons of crude oil per year, accounting for around 3.08% of Russia’s total oil refining volume," General Staff wrote on Telegram.
The results of the attack are being clarified, the General Staff said.
A source in Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) also earlier confirmed that the agency was behind the attack on the liquefied natural gas terminal in Leningrad region.
“Russia trades oil and gas through this terminal with the help of a ‘shadow fleet.’ Drone sanctions from the SBU reduce the inflow of foreign currency that Russia needs to wage war,” a source in the SBU told the Kyiv Independent.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed 95 Ukrainian drones were shot down over 13 regions, as well as occupied Crimea, on Aug. 24.
Ukrainian officials often say these drone strikes are intended to degrade Russia’s strike capabilities and bring the consequences of the war closer to those supporting the Kremlin’s aggression.
A large fire broke out at a Russian Novatek gas terminal located in the port city of Ust-Luga on the morning of Aug. 24, Russian Telegram news channel Astra reported. Leningrad Governor Alexander Drozdenko claimed that 10 drones were shot down in Ust-Luga, adding that there were no casualties.
Ust-Luga lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland in Leningrad region, not far from the Estonian border and around 110 kilometers west of Russia's second major city, St. Petersburg.
Another strike reportedly occurred in the Russian city of Syzran, Samara region, where local authorities claimed an "industrial facility" was under attack.
According to the Telegram channel Astra, a large fire broke out at the Syzran oil refinery following nearly 20 explosions that were heard across the city.
Following the attacks, several Russian airports, including Pulkovo at St. Petersburg, temporarily suspended operations, delaying over 60 flights.
Earlier on Aug. 23, Russian air defenses intercepted a drone headed toward Moscow, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. He said fragments of the drone were being examined on the ground. No casualties were reported.
Ukraine regularly launches long-range drone attacks on industrial and military facilities in Russia. Oil refineries, which fund and fuel Moscow's war machine, are frequent targets of these strikes.
The reports come as both U.S. President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky advocate for a negotiated resolution to Russia’s war, now in its 12th year. However, past efforts at peace talks have repeatedly broken down due to the Kremlin’s ultimatums and rigid demands.
Zelensky has continued to push for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin without preconditions, arguing that such a step could offer a real opportunity to bring the full-scale war to an end.
