Russian governor claims attempted drone attack on oil refinery in Yaroslavl
A drone attempted to attack one of Russia's largest oil refineries located in Yaroslavl and was suppressed by electronic warfare, Mikhail Yevrayev, the regional governor, reported on Jan. 29.
Multiple drone strikes on oil depots in Russia, including in Krasnodar, Bryansk, Oryol, and Leningrad regions, were reported in January. Kyiv usually doesn’t comment on attacks on Russian soil.
Yevrayev said the attempted attack on the Slavneft-YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl caused no fire or casualties. Law enforcement and first responders are reportedly working on the scene.
Contrary to the governor's claims, the Russian Telegram channel Shot reported a small fire extinguished by the company's employees at the site of the drone crash, and debris from the drone was scattered throughout the refinery.
The Russian Telegram channel 112 later claimed that according to preliminary data, the drone was homemade, and Russian security services are trying to establish its origin.
The Kyiv Independent is unable to verify these claims.
The city of Yaroslavl lies in western Russia, over 700 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
Explosions and fires in several Russian regions were reported on Jan. 21 in a possible coordinated Ukrainian strike against infrastructure targets in Russia's rear. A fire broke out at a Novatek gas plant near St. Petersburg after an alleged drone attack, causing the plant to halt operations.
Novatek is the largest independent natural gas producer in Russia. Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23 that Russian seaborne crude oil exports hit their lowest level in two months in the wake of the attack.
