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War

Oil refinery in Russia's Ryazan Oblast reportedly hit in drone attack

2 min read
The reported feint glow of a fire buring in the distance under a dark, night sky
Imagery that purports to show a fire at a Ryazan Oblast oil refinery in the distance overnight on Nov. 20, 2025/ (ExileNova+/Telegram)

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

An oil refinery was reportedly hit in Ryazan Oblast overnight on Nov. 20, local residents claimed.

Local authorities have not reported damage to the Ryazan oil refinery, but have confirmed that a drone attack took place overnight.

"Last night, air defense and electronic warfare destroyed drones over the territory of the Ryazan Oblast. Due to falling debris, a fire broke out on the territory of one enterprise," Governor Pavel Malkov claimed.

Ukraine regularly launches strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia and occupied territories as Moscow continues to wage its war.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports, and Ukraine's military has not yet commented.

Ryazan, the region's capital, is located 180 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Moscow and about 450 kilometers (280 miles) from Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia along Sumy Oblast.

Russia's oil and gas production has continued to come under attack as Kyiv attempts to cripple Moscow's primary source of funding for its war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's General Staff reported on Nov. 16 that Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast and a drone storage site belonging to Russia's elite Rubikon unit.

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Volodymyr Ivanyshyn

News Editor

Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent.

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