Ukrainian long-range drones have struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries and a major chemical facility, in what appears to be a sustained effort to undermine the industrial infrastructure underpinning Moscow’s war economy.
The attacks, which took place overnight on Saturday into Sunday, hit targets in multiple Russian regions, including Yaroslavl in the Central Federal District and industrial sites in Volgograd and Tambov regions.
In Yaroslavl, drones targeted the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery, triggering a fire at the facility, according to Ukrainian officials and Russian regional reporting.
The plant is among Russia’s largest refineries by processing capacity and is considered a key supplier of fuel to the country’s central regions.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, confirmed the strike and released footage appearing to show the aftermath.
Rosneft and Gazprom jointly control the refinery and play a significant role in Russia’s domestic fuel supply chain, making it a strategically important target in Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign.
In a separate operation, drones struck a major chemical complex in the Volgograd region, damaging infrastructure at the Apatit nitrogen production facility. Regional governor Georgiy Filimonov said a high-pressure sulphuric acid pipeline was hit. While no fire broke out, five employees were hospitalised with chemical burns.
Further drone activity was reported in the Tambov region, where residents described explosions near the city of Michurinsk.
Сили оборони України завдали удару по Ярославському нафтопереробному заводу («Ярославнефтеоргсинтез», ЯНОС). Після атаки на території підприємства спалахнула пожежа. 700 км від ЛБЗ pic.twitter.com/Uru3ipTGGt
— КРИМський бандерівець (@CrimeaUA1) April 26, 2026
The strikes come amid an intensification of Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against Russian energy and industrial infrastructure, which Kyiv says is central to funding Moscow’s war effort.
Earlier in the week, Ukraine reportedly struck the Tuapse and Novokuibyshevsk refineries, both linked to Rosneft, resulting in temporary shutdowns. The Tuapse facility, a major Black Sea refinery with an annual processing capacity of around 12 million tonnes, has reportedly suffered repeated fires and damage to its port infrastructure in recent months.
Ukrainian officials argue that sustained pressure on Russia’s energy sector is intended to weaken its military capacity and strengthen Kyiv’s position in any future negotiations.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, has previously described strikes on Russian industrial and export hubs as a key component of the broader war strategy.
While Western partners have occasionally expressed concern about potential impacts on global energy markets, Kyiv has continued to prioritise deep strikes inside Russia, expanding both the range and frequency of its drone operations.
The latest attacks underline the increasing reach of Ukraine’s unmanned aerial capabilities, which are now regularly targeting infrastructure hundreds of kilometres from the front line.
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