Ukrainian drones score 'successful hit' on Russia's Ryazan Oil Refinery, General Staff says
Editor's note: This article has been updated with a video of the drone strikes released by Ukraine's military.
Ukrainian forces scored another "successful hit" on Russia's Ryazan Oil Refinery overnight on Dec. 5-6, the General Staff has confirmed, marking the ninth such strike on the refinery this year.
"The Ryazan Refinery, with a design capacity of 17.1 million tons of oil per year, is one of the largest oil refining enterprises in the Russian Federation," the General Staff said in a post on social media.
"A hit and a fire were recorded at the facility. The results and extent of damage are being clarified."
The post also claimed a strike on the Alchevsk Metallurgical Plant in Russian occupied Luhansk Oblast, a facility that produces artillery shells for the Russian army.
Local residents reported the attack on the refinery amid reports of a wider drone attack on the region. Purported video of the attack posted to social media shows flames and smoke billowing from the refinery.
For the 9 time this year, drones have attacked the oil refinery in Ryazan, according to ASTRA’s analysis pic.twitter.com/tj7Aj0z5ZO
— ASTRA (@ASTRA_PRESS) December 6, 2025
Ryazan Oblast Governor Pavel Malkov confirmed reports of the drone but did not mention a strike on the refinery. Malkov said that a "fire was quickly extinguished" in the region amid falling drone debris, claiming that no casualties or "serious damage" occurred as a result.
Russia's Defense Ministry later claimed that air defense had shot down 29 drones over Ryazan Oblast.
The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials.
Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, posted a video of the strikes on social media.
Brovdi said that drone units of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck both the metallurgical plant as well as the oil refinery.
Ukraine regularly launches strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia and occupied territories as Moscow continues to wage its war.
The Ryazan Oil Refinery, which produces upwards of 17.1 million tons of oil per year, has been a regular target of attack given its role in fueling Russia's war machine. The facility came under attack on Nov. 20, which Brovdi confirmed.
Ryazan, the region's capital, is located 180 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Moscow and about 450 kilometers (280 miles) from Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia along Sumy Oblast.
Russia's oil and gas production has continued to come under attack as Kyiv attempts to cripple Moscow's primary source of funding for its war in Ukraine.
