Ukraine Claims Responsibility for Striking Russian Oil Refinery Amid Drone Assault
Ukraine has reportedly carried out a significant drone attack on a Russian oil refinery, part of a broader offensive involving at least 121 drones targeting multiple regions, including Moscow. This marks one of the largest drone operations of the ongoing war.
Verified footage shows a massive fireball erupting over the refinery and a nearby pumping station in the Ryazan region, southeast of Moscow. Ukrainian officials confirmed these sites as deliberate targets.
Russia claimed its air defenses intercepted all 121 drones, which were aimed at 13 regions, including Ryazan and Moscow, asserting that no damage occurred. However, reports from both sides indicate a more complicated picture.
Ukrainian Strike on Key Facilities
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s counter-disinformation center, stated that the Ryazan refinery and the Kremniy factory in Bryansk, which reportedly produces missile components, were successfully hit. Videos shared on Telegram show flames engulfing sections of the refinery, prompting panicked evacuations by car and on foot.
BBC Verify analyzed video evidence to confirm the locations of two major fires at the refinery: one near the northern entrance and another roughly 3km away on the eastern side. The analysis was corroborated by matching road layouts, signs, and other landmarks.
In Bryansk, the Kremniy factory suspended operations after sustaining damage from six drones, according to regional governor Pavel Malkov. Emergency services were deployed to the site.
Russia’s Response
The Kremlin acknowledged the attacks but remained tight-lipped about any casualties or damage. Russia’s defense ministry reported intercepting six drones over Moscow, 20 in Ryazan, and others in border regions such as Bryansk.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said air defenses intercepted drones at four locations in and around the capital, including Kolomna and Ramenskoye. He emphasized that no damage had been recorded.
Meanwhile, two major Moscow airports—Vnukovo and Domodedovo—temporarily suspended operations but resumed flights later, redirecting six flights to alternate destinations.
In the city of Kursk, overnight drone strikes reportedly damaged power lines, cutting electricity to one district, according to Mayor Igor Kutsak.
Ukrainian Casualties Amid Russian Strikes
While Ukraine mounted its drone offensive, its own air defenses intercepted 25 of 58 drones launched by Russia overnight. However, debris from a Russian drone strike hit a residential building in Hlevakha, Kyiv region, killing two men and a woman and injuring another person.
Photos from the scene show thick smoke pouring from the damaged building as emergency crews worked to extinguish the fire and assist survivors.
BBC Journalist Labeled ‘Foreign Agent’
Amid escalating tensions, Russia’s justice ministry designated Olga Ivshina of the BBC Russian service as a “foreign agent.” Ivshina, based in London, is the fourth BBC journalist to receive this label since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Under Russian law, those labeled as foreign agents must mark their content accordingly and disclose financial information. Non-compliance can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
The BBC strongly condemned the designation, calling it an attack on independent journalism. “The role of BBC News Russian journalists, reporting impartially, is more critical than ever. We will continue to support them in serving Russian-speaking audiences,” a spokesperson said.
As the war intensifies, the use of drones appears to be playing an increasingly pivotal role, impacting not just military assets but also civilian lives on both sides of the conflict.
