Ukrainian forces launched a widespread drone offensive against Russian industrial and military infrastructure, killing people and damaging key energy facilities.
The strikes, which targeted regions from the Volgograd area to the Samara region and Rostov-on-Don, represent a continuation of a strategy aimed at targets including oil refineries, pumping stations, and military objects in the aggressor state’s territory.
In the Volgograd region, a drone strike ignited a major fire at one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, forcing the facility to suspend operations, according to the monitoring channel "Exilenova+." Regional Governor Andrey Bocharov reported that four people were killed and two were injured in the attack.
Independent Russian outlet Astra reported that the incident caused immediate fuel shortages, with long queues forming at local gas stations as residents reacted to the disruption.
A similar toll was reported in the Samara region, where the regional governor confirmed four deaths and an unspecified number of injuries following a drone strike. Ukrainian Telegram channels identified the target as an oil depot used for storing and blending crude oil. This facility, which spans 216 hectares and houses 71 reservoirs, is described as one of the largest storage parks in Europe.
Authorities in Rostov-on-Don claimed that air defense systems intercepted more than 120 Ukrainian drones over the region. However, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced successful strikes against three specific military-linked facilities in the city. Using Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles, Ukrainian forces targeted a production site for "Ionic" attack drones, an associated warehouse, and the "Aero-Hit" drone maintenance company.
The Russian Ministry of Defense provided a broader account of the night’s events, asserting that a total of 1,198 drones were shot down over 17 Russian regions and occupied Crimea. While Russian authorities did not disclose the number of drones that successfully bypassed their defenses, independent analysts estimate that between 10% and 15% of such projectiles typically reach their intended targets.
The campaign also extended to the Leningrad region, where a fire broke out at the Ust-Luga port, a critical terminal for oil exports already subject to European Union sanctions.
Leningrad Alexander Drozdenko confirmed that the port was the primary target and reported that three employees were injured in the attack. The strike caused a temporary shutdown of the Ust-Luga transformer substation and triggered emergency air traffic diversions, with flights bound for St. Petersburg redirected to Helsinki, Finland.
In the Smolensk region, Governor Vasily Anokhin said that 37 drones were intercepted by air defenses. Debris from the downed drones struck a multi-story residential building in Yartsevo, causing a fire that resulted in two deaths. Reports also indicate that a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter was downed near St. Petersburg, with military Telegram channels suggesting it may have been struck by friendly fire during the intense air defense operations.
The Ukrainian military has increasingly employed long-range drones and missiles to target Russia’s oil refining, storage, and export infrastructure since August 2025. Kyiv calls these operations "long-range sanctions," intended to create resource scarcity and increase the economic cost of the invasion for Moscow. The strikes have targeted pumping stations, refineries, and logistical hubs, affecting Russia's ability to maintain military supply chains, particularly those supporting forces in Crimea.
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