Drones operated by Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck an oil refinery in Russia's Ryazan Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Feb. 24.
Kyiv considers oil refineries to be valid military targets, as profits from the fossil fuel industry fund Russia's war machine.
This is the third time since the beginning of 2025 that drones have attacked the Ryazan Oil Refinery, according to the independent Telegram channel Astra. The Ryazan Oil Refining Company's facility was previously struck overnight on Jan. 24 and Jan. 26.
At least five explosions were heard near the facility. According to preliminary data from the General Staff, the attack caused a fire near the primary oil processing facility. The full consequences of the attack are still being determined, according to the statement.
Ryazan Oblast Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed that falling drone debris had caused a fire at "one of the enterprises" in the region. According to Malkov, no one was injured.
Ryazan lies almost 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.
The Ryazan Oil Refinery is one of Russia's five largest oil refining facilities, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation. Its capacity is 17.1 million metric tons of oil per year.
Kovalenko added that the fuel produced at the enterprise is used by the Russian army's strategic long-range aviation, which launches missile strikes against Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
The Ryazan Oil Refinery previously suspended operations due to damage from Ukrainian drone attacks, Reuters reported on Jan. 27, citing two industry sources. Ukraine confirmed hitting the plant in an overnight drone strike on Jan. 24.
Martin Fornusek
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