Overnight drone strikes targeted an oil depot near Taganrog and a Rosneft refinery in Saratov. Regional governors reported ongoing fires and damage to civilian infrastructure, and images showed heavy damage at the Saratov site. Russian authorities say air defences intercepted dozens to hundreds of drones during the night.
Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Sites Overnight — Saratov Refinery Hit, Taganrog Depot Ablaze
FILE PHOTO - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is presented with a drone during a visit to drone manufacturer Quantum Frontline Industries ahead of the Munich Security Conference. (is associated with: «Ukraine renews attacks on Russian oil facilities») Sven Hoppe/dpa
Ukraine launched overnight drone strikes against two Russian oil facilities: a storage depot near the southern city of Taganrog on the Sea of Azov and a refinery in Saratov on the Volga River, local and regional reports said.
Details Of The Attacks
Russian officials issued only partial confirmations, while Ukrainian outlets also reported the strikes. Images circulating online indicate particularly heavy damage at the Saratov refinery, which is owned by state oil company Rosneft.
Local Officials' Accounts
Saratov Governor Roman Busargin wrote on Telegram that "according to preliminary information, there is damage to civilian infrastructure," but provided no further detail. Rostov Region Governor Yury Slyusar confirmed an oil depot in the Matveyev-Kurgan district near Taganrog was still burning and said firefighting crews remained at the scene after a "mass attack" by drones.
"Firefighting operations are ongoing after a mass attack by Ukrainian drones," Rostov Governor Yury Slyusar wrote on Telegram.
Defence Claims And Interceptions
Officials said air defences destroyed dozens of attacking drones. Slyusar reported 50 drones were shot down at the Taganrog site, while the Russian military said more than 200 Ukrainian drones were intercepted across the country during the night. The figures may overlap and have not been independently verified.
Wider Context
Rosneft's Saratov refinery has been targeted previously as Ukraine expands its aerial campaign inside Russia. Drone strikes by both sides have become regular since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, and observers say Ukraine's increasing drone range and capability have widened the scope of its strikes against oil infrastructure and military production sites.
What We Don’t Yet Know: Official casualty figures, the full extent of damage to civilian infrastructure, and independent verification of the scale of the strikes remain unavailable at this time.
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