Ukrainian drones strike oil refineries in Bashkortostan and Krasnodar region

In a significant escalation, Ukrainian forces launched a series of drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure overnight on Tuesday. The primary target was the Salavat oil refinery in Bashkortostan, located approximately 1,400 kilometers from the front line. According to the independent outlet Astra, satellite imagery confirmed a fire at the refinery. Witnesses reported multiple explosions and posted videos showing thick black smoke rising over the facility. A fire also broke out at the Rosneft Opt oil depot in Salavat.

The refinery, owned by Gazprom, is one of Russia's largest, processing 7.2 million tons of crude oil in 2024 – 2.7% of the country's total output, per The Moscow Times. It had already been targeted twice in September 2025, though Bashkortostan's head Radiy Khabirov claimed after those attacks that operations continued normally.

Russian authorities confirmed a fire at the Afipskaya refinery in the Krasnodar region as well, along with damage to several residential buildings and a railway crossing. The state news agency TASS, citing local officials, reported casualties in the Seversky district.

Meanwhile, in occupied Donetsk, a large fire erupted at a munitions warehouse belonging to Russian forces, triggering the detonation of stored ammunition. The Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported the incident, and videos showed a massive blaze and explosions. The cause and exact location remain unknown.

In occupied Crimea, the occupation authorities announced partial power outages in Sevastopol following an attack on energy infrastructure. Local residents claimed the attack targeted the Balaklava thermal power plant.

Russia's Defense Ministry stated that a total of 288 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory and occupied Crimea overnight. As usual, officials did not disclose how many drones evaded interception, but experts estimate that 10-15% reach their targets.