Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Refineries and Military Depots in Wide-Ranging Attacks
Ukrainian long-range drones struck multiple industrial and military installations deep inside Russian territory, targeting critical energy infrastructure and weapons depots across several regions. The wave of coordinated strikes included hits on major oil refineries and industrial plants producing dual-use military supplies, according to regional governors and military reports.
Volgograd and Perm Refineries Hit by Drone Strikes
The Volgograd oil refinery, owned by Lukoil and boasting a processing capacity of approximately 15 miljoni tonnu naftas gadā, sustained structural damage after being targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles, lasi.lv reported. The facility previously suffered equipment damage during a late July drone attack. In the Perm region, another Lukoil-owned refinery operated by Pemnefteorgsintez (PNOS)—which processes vairāk nekā 13 miljonus tonnu naftas—caught fire following an overnight strike that local governor Dmitry Makhonin confirmed resulted in one fatality and temporarily halted operations at Perm Airport, diena.lv reported.
Commercial Enterprises Forced to Fund Private Air Defenses
Intensifying drone attacks have strained Russia’s military air defense capabilities, prompting commercial enterprises to independently finance protective measures. Private businesses have spent substantial sums in the first half of 2026 on anti-drone systems—nearly seven times the expenditure from the same period a year earlier, according to state agency TASS figures cited by la.lv. The Kremlin warned businesses last month that failing to secure adequate protection could result in properties temporarily falling under state control. Job listings on platforms like Avito show companies offering up to 240,000 rubles monthly for security guards tasked with monitoring airspace and shooting down incoming drones.
Widespread Infrastructure Damage Across Russian Regions
In the Samara region, a strike damaged a passenger train near the Ulyanovsk regional border, though no casualties were reported, diena.lv noted. Meanwhile, in the Ulyanovsk region, an attack damaged the Iskra plant—part of the Almaz-Antey air defense manufacturing concern—injuring eight people and damaging civilian infrastructure, according to Governor Alexei Russkikh. In the Rostov region, the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery suspended operations following a drone-induced fire, while a synthetic rubber plant in Voronezh, Voronezhsintezkaučuk, caught fire after falling debris struck industrial buildings, injuring four people, diena.lv reported.
Russia Claims Air Defenses Intercepted Hundreds of Drones
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that air defense systems intercepted 330 Ukrainian drones across 12 regions and occupied Crimea on Thursday night, followed by an additional 592 drones over 18 regions on Friday, according to tvnet.lv and diena.lv reports. While Russian authorities did not disclose the exact number of drones that successfully bypassed defenses, military analysts estimate that 10% to 15% of the attacking aircraft successfully reached their designated targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific products do the targeted Volgograd facilities manufacture?
The Volgograd oil refinery produces gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, mazut, and bitumen, while the nearby Kaustik chemical plant manufactures dual-use products utilized by the Russian military industry, lasi.lv reported.
Which official entities confirmed the casualties and facility closures?
Regional authorities, including Perm regional head Dmitry Makhonin, Ulyanovsk Governor Alexei Russkikh, Rostov Governor Yuri Slyusar, and Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev, confirmed the respective casualties, infrastructural damages, and operational halts at the affected industrial sites, diena.lv reported.
How much are private Russian companies paying for anti-drone security?
Commercial enterprises are spending heavily on security personnel and equipment, with job advertisements in the Moscow region offering roughly 3,000 US dollars per month for guards to detect and shoot down drones, and even higher sums for defending sensitive sites like the Kerch Strait Bridge, la.lv reported.
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