Ukraine's drones strike Russian oil refinery deep behind lines, 1,500 km from border
Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) carried out a drone strike on a major oil refinery in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, sparking explosions and a large-scale fire, according to the intelligence sources.
The attack reportedly targeted the Bashneft-Novoyl refinery located in Ufa, the capital of the republic, roughly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Ukraine’s border. The facility is one of Russia’s key oil processing plants.
Sources said that after kamikaze drones struck the site, multiple powerful explosions erupted, followed by a massive blaze. Preliminary assessments suggest that critical infrastructure —including a vacuum column used for primary oil processing — sustained significant damage.
Local social media users reported hearing explosions and seeing drones over the city prior to the refinery catching fire. In response, regional authorities declared a drone threat alert. Ufa airport suspended operations, and mobile internet services across the city were temporarily cut off.
Over the past year, Russian officials and media have increasingly reported drone incursions and explosions far from the front line as Ukrainian forces have intensified attacks against Russia's energy infrastructure in an effort to put economic pressure on Moscow and undermine its ability to finance the war.
A few days earlier, Ukrainian forces struck two key Russian fuel infrastructure sites, the General Staff reported on Sept. 7. The confirmed targets included the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and the "8-N" oil pipeline control station near the village of Naitopovichi in Bryansk Oblast.
Both facilities are involved in supplying fuel to Russian troops operating in Ukraine, according to the military.
The "8-N" control station, part of the "Steel Horse" pipeline complex with a pumping capacity of 10.5 million tons, is considered a strategic asset for Russian military logistics. Ukraine’s General Staff said the site sustained multiple hits, sparking a fire near the pumping station and tank farm.
