Ukraine Drones Hit Two Russian Refineries Overnight
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- Ukraine struck two Russian oil refineries overnight, Zelenskyy said: the Slavyansk-na-Kubani facility in Krasnodar — which processes close to 4 million tonnes of crude a year and feeds Black Sea fuel exports — and a second refinery in Yaroslavl, roughly 700 km from the Ukrainian border.
- Slavyansk-na-Kubani refinery caught fire from downed-drone debris, killing one person in Sloviansk and injuring another in a nearby village, per Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev; Russian social media showed thick smoke over the plant, though the AP could not immediately verify the images.
- Yaroslavl authorities did not confirm a refinery strike, but Governor Mikhail Evraev temporarily closed Moscow-Yaroslavl roads citing 'an enemy attack by Ukrainian drones,' and the Yaroslavl airport was briefly shut alongside other southern and western Russian airports.
- Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces intercepted 213 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia, occupied Crimea, and the Black and Azov seas.
- Russia fired 142 long-range strike drones and 8 missiles at Ukraine during the same overnight window; Ukraine's air force reported it shot down 125 drones and 7 missiles.
- Zelenskyy framed the refinery strikes as 'long-range sanctions' that reduce resources 'fuelling the Russian war machine,' calling each hit 'another step toward peace.'
Why it matters: The Slavyansk-na-Kubani refinery processes roughly 4 million tonnes of crude yearly and supplies fuel exports through Black Sea ports, so sustained hits on such sites tighten Moscow's war-funding revenue and domestic fuel supply. The reciprocal tempo — Russia claiming 213 Ukrainian drones intercepted while launching 142 drones and 8 missiles back — shows the cross-border air exchange widening on both fronts rather than de-escalating.
