Ukraine's military reportedly strikes Russian oil refinery, defense technology center
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Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian forces reportedly launched an attack on critical Russian military-industrial sites overnight on May 8, striking an oil refinery as well as the branch of a defense technology center, Russian Telegram media channels reported.
Photos and videos posted by local residents to social media purport to show a fire emanating from the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl amid the attack.
The Slavneft-YANOS refinery is one of Russia's five largest and is capable of producing over 15 million tons per year.
Later into the morning, numerous explosions were heard in Rostov-on-Don where Ukraine's military also reportedly carried out an attack on the city's industrial area.
Fires were reported at the Empils paint coating facility as well as a branch of the Radar Scientific and Technical Center — a research and defense technology company linked to Russia's Defense Ministry, focused on the development of advanced radar systems.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports.
Although the type of weaponry used in the attack was not immediately clear, Ukraine regularly launches drone attacks against military and industrial facilities in Russia, including oil infrastructure used to fuel Russia's war against Ukraine.
Both the Slavneft-YANOS refinery and the western industrial zone around Radar Scientific and Technical Center have previously been subject to Ukrainian attacks.
Yaroslavl is located about 700 kilometers (435 miles) from Ukraine's border with Russia and lies approximately 230 kilometers (142 miles) northeast of Moscow, while Rostov-on-Don is situated in southern Russia roughly 230 kilometers (140 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.
Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the reported attacks, and the full extent of the damage caused was not immediately clear.
