Explosions, smoke reported near oil refinery in Russia's Bashkortostan
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Drones reportedly struck an area near an oil refinery in the city of Ufa, the capital of Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan, on Sept. 23, Russian independent outlet Astra reported, citing local residents.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses had intercepted and destroyed 514 drones overnight over 18 regions, including Bashkortostan, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.
Local residents reported hearing explosions in Ufa, while local Telegram channels said air defenses were operating over the city, according to Astra.
Astra's OSINT analyst suggested that smoke rose in the area of the Ufa oil refinery, although the analyst said it could also have originated from a nearby thermal power plant.
A "drone threat" alert was also issued in Bashkortostan, while temporary restrictions were imposed on arrivals and departures at Ufa airport, according to Rosaviatsiya.
The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the accuracy of the report. Russian authorities had not commented on a drone attack on the region as of publication, and the Ukrainian military hadn't confirmed the strike.
Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries have emerged as one of the most economically significant aspects of Kyiv's long-range drone strategy, contributing to nationwide fuel shortages and sharply reducing refinery output over the summer.
Half of Russia's six largest diesel-producing refineries have cut or completely halted output in September following Ukrainian drone attacks.
As Ukraine continues to target Russian energy facilities, U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Kyiv to halt its strikes on oil refineries, claiming the attacks were contributing to a global diesel shortage as his war against Iran disrupts fuel supplies worldwide.
"Mr. Zelensky has to do one thing. He has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," Trump said on Sept. 13. "Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he's causing a shortage of diesel."
