Ukrainian forces launch a surprise strike on Siberia, paralyzing a Russian oil refinery

Ukraine’s long-range strike units have once again shattered perceptions—bringing the war directly to Siberia and even farther east into Russia’s Far East, regions that Putin has long considered absolutely secure. For years, the Kremlin assumed that by relocating heavy industry and petrochemical facilities deep into Siberia east of the Ural Mountains, they would lie safely beyond the reach of hostilities. Yet Ukrainian drones have utterly demolished this illusion of security! On August 10, Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces launched a cross-border long-range aerial strike targeting the “West Siberian Petrochemical” complex. Operated by Russia’s petrochemical giant SIBUR, this facility is the largest petrochemical plant in all of Russia—and the very lifeline of the country’s industrial raw materials and plastic production. Ukrainian drones traversed over 2,000 kilometers to precisely strike the plant’s central gas fractionation unit. A massive fire broke out on-site, with thick smoke blotting out the sky. Though the local governor downplayed the incident as merely “a fire,” Ukraine’s General Staff has confirmed it was a Ukrainian strike that severely damaged the petrochemical hub—its impact extending far beyond oil refining to disrupt Russia’s entire petrochemical supply chain. Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces also struck a refinery in Lower Tatarstan—the key asset of Tatneft (Tatarstan Oil Company), with an annual refining capacity of up to 13 million tons. Back-to-back explosions at both locations signal that Ukrainian drones have now penetrated deep into Russia’s heartland with near-impunity. If the strike on Siberia—2,000 kilometers from the front line—was already shocking, then the fire that recently erupted in Russia’s Far East is even more chilling. The Komsomolsk-on-Amur Refinery, operated by Rosneft and located just across the Heilongjiang Province border in China, lies farther east than Northeast China itself. This major fire broke out recently at the facility, whose design capacity stands at 8.5 million tons of crude oil per year. Three separate locations at the refinery were simultaneously engulfed in intense flames. Located approximately 6,500 kilometers from Ukraine’s frontline, the cause of the fire remains officially unconfirmed—but whether it resulted from Ukrainian long-range precision strikes or sabotage by special operations teams, it marks a systemic crisis for Russia’s energy logistics infrastructure. Even North Korea—openly supporting Russia—and other covert backers now fall squarely within Ukraine’s operational reach. Ukraine’s 1st Independent Unmanned Systems Center recently revealed staggering figures in an interview: since early 2026, Ukrainian strikes against targets deep inside Russia have surged by 1,150%; in the first half of 2026 alone, Ukrainian forces precisely hit 697 targets inside Russia; most significantly, a record-breaking 43% of Russia’s total refining capacity has now been paralyzed. As critical energy arteries collapse behind the front lines, new waves of strikes against Russian logistics networks continue unabated. Today, August 11, the newly inaugurated Wildberries logistics center warehouse in Voronezh Oblast—put fully into operation only last November—was struck. Spanning over 150,000 square meters, the facility could store more than 90 million items. Statistics show that among the 15 major terminals of this Russian “Taobao-style” logistics network, only six remain undamaged.

Details of Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries and their subsequent impacts

I. Basic facts of the attacks Since summer 2025, the Ukrainian military has intensified its strikes against Russian energy infrastructure—including oil refineries. According to an article published by the Financial Times website on September 23, 16 of Russia’s 38 refineries were struck by Ukrainian drones in August alone; several of these facilities were hit multiple times. These drone attacks have forced affected Russian refineries to halt operations either entirely or partially. Such strikes continue intensively from late September through today. Key attack incidents from September to October 1 are as follows: (1) Ryazan Refinery On September 5, the Ryazan Oblast refinery—located southwest of Moscow—was struck by Ukrainian drones. The facility belongs to Rosneft. According to Ukrainian military data, its designed annual capacity is 17.1 million tons; Reuters reported that in 2024, it processed 13.1 million tons of crude oil. It produces various grades of gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, and other petroleum products. Located approximately 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the refinery had already been struck by Ukrainian drones on August 2, causing large-scale shutdowns. Ukrainian Drones Strike Rosneft Refinery in Ryazan Region (2) Kirishi Refinery On September 14, Ukrainian drones attacked the Kirishi refinery in Leningrad Oblast. With an annual capacity of 17 million tons—accounting for 6.4% of Russia’s total refining capacity—the facility belongs to Surgutneftegas. It lies about 800 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The refinery produces over 80 petroleum products—including automotive gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel—many of which supply Russia’s armed forces. Russia Claims Multi-directional Strikes Against Ukrainian Targets; Ukraine Claims Attacks on Russian Refineries and Railways (3) Saratov Refinery On September 16 and September 20, the Saratov refinery—owned by Rosneft—was struck twice by Ukrainian drones. It lies roughly 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to Kyiv Independent data, the Saratov refinery produces over 20 petroleum products—including gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, and asphalt—and processed 4.8 million tons of crude oil in 2023. (4) Salavat Refinery On September 18 and September 24, Ukrainian drones struck the Salavat Oil and Chemical Plant in Bashkortostan Republic—operated by Gazprom. Located approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the facility is one of Russia’s largest refineries, with an annual capacity of 10 million tons and production of over 150 petroleum and chemical products. Russian Refinery Struck (5) Afipsky Refinery

Southern Russian Refinery Halts Operations Following Drone Strike

21 hours ago

A drone strike damaged the Novoshakhtinsk refinery in southern Russia, halting its 110,000-barrel-a-day capacity. Amidst ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure, global diesel prices are surging while US mediation efforts remain elusive.

bloomberg

2026-09-24

Southern Russian Refinery Halts Operations Following Drone Strike

Southern Russian Refinery Halts Operations Following Drone Strike

FAQ