Ukrainian drones reportedly strike oil facilities in Russia's Ryazan Oblast, occupied Luhansk Oblast
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukrainian drones reportedly struck multiple Russian oil facilities overnight on Sept. 4-5, Russian Telegram channels reported.
In Russia's Ryazan Oblast, Russian Telegram channels reported that Ukrainian drones struck the Ryazan Oil Refinery overnight on Sept. 5. Explosions were first reported around 1:30 a.m. local time.
Photos and videos posted to social media by residents appear to show a large blaze emanating from the Ryazan Oil Refinery, located on the southern edge of the city.
Regional Governor Pavel Malkov claimed that eight Ukrainian drones had been shot down over the region.
Malkov added that drone debris fall onto an unspecified industrial facility, without mentioning the oil refinery. Despite the reports of a large blaze, the official claimed there were "no casualties or damage to residential buildings and infrastructure."
Large black clouds of smoke were also reported in occupied Luhansk Oblast late on Sept. 4 amid a reported attack on an oil depot in the region. Explosions were seen in the direction of the oil depot after 9 p.m. local time, residents reported.
The Kyiv Independent cannot immediately verify the reports nor claims by Russian officials. The exact location of the fire in Luhansk Oblast was not immediately clear.
The full extent of the damage is not yet known. Ukraine's military has not commented on the reported strikes.
Kyiv has repeatedly targeted Russian infrastructure in the region since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, particularly taking aim at Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure as part of its strategy to undermine funding for the Kremlin's war chest.
Ukraine struck at least 12 refineries throughout August, shutting down facilities representing over 17% of national processing capacity, or 1.1 million barrels per day.
Ukraine has previously struck oil targets in occupied Luhansk Oblast as well as Ryazan Oblast, situated approximately 350 km from the Ukraine-Russia border.
A Ukrainian drone strike on the Ryazan oil refinery in early August led to oil production being halved as a result of the attack, Reuters reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 4 admitted that Russia is facing a gas shortage, without providing a reason for the potential shortage.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Sept. 4, Putin said that signs of gas shortages are already visible in the Russian Far East. He said that supplying new enterprises can be challenging, and demand for gas is expected to rise significantly in the Far Eastern Federal District in the coming years.
