KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian long-range drones launched a second strike on one of Russia’s largest oil refineries within just three days, a senior official in Kyiv revealed on Monday. This offensive comes as Ukraine seeks to impede the advance of Russian forces along various sections of the front line, with the third anniversary of the ongoing conflict looming.
The drone attack occurred late Sunday and targeted a refinery located in the Volgograd region, which ranks among the top ten oil processing facilities in Russia, handling nearly 6% of the nation’s oil output, according to a representative from Ukraine’s Security Service.
In response, Russian officials confirmed that there was only a minor fire at the Volgograd refinery following the drone strike.
Ukraine’s defense systems are under severe strain due to a prolonged Russian offensive aimed at capturing additional territory, particularly in the eastern industrial sectors of Ukraine. This aggressive push is anticipated to take place ahead of potential peace discussions that could be influenced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Although heavily reliant on military support from the West, Ukraine has made strides in developing its domestic arms production capabilities, which include drones that are increasingly capable of executing longer flights with heavier payloads.
Ukrainian officials confirmed that the same Volgograd refinery was targeted on Friday, although specifics regarding that attack have not been disclosed.
Additionally, the recent drone assault on Sunday night also aimed at a prominent natural gas processing facility located in Russia’s Astrakhan region. The security service official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, stated that this was the fifth successful mission conducted behind enemy lines this year, reflecting efforts to undermine the Russian military apparatus.
The Volgograd refinery is situated approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) from the front lines, while the Astrakhan facility is even more remote, around 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Ukraine.
The Russian military announced the destruction of 70 Ukrainian drones across six regions during that night.
According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, both the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions were affected, along with additional sites in Belgorod, Kursk, and Voronezh regions, all of which border Ukraine.
In light of the attacks, authorities temporarily suspended air traffic in and out of nine Russian airports across various locations.
