Ukrainian drones struck two major Russian refineries and a Urals oil hub, causing fires. The facilities supply fuel and lubricants to the Russian Armed Forces.

Sept. 20, 2025

During a special operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) struck the Russian Saratov and Novokuybyshevsk oil refineries, as well as the Urals oil production station, the General Staff of Ukraine reported.

According to the statement on Telegram, in the early hours of Sept. 20, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck the Saratov oil refinery. Explosions and a large-scale fire were recorded at the site. Final damage assessments are underway.

This refinery processes about 2.54% of Russia’s total oil output, refining over 7 million tons per year.

Russian Telegram channel SHOT reported 5-7 explosions in Saratov between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m., while footage posted online showed a fire burning in the city.

The “Carpet” plan was also introduced at Saratov Airport around 12:46 a.m., and residents in Engels, a nearby city, reported hearing blasts.

Ukrainian drones also targeted the Novokuybyshevsk refinery in the Samara region. Local sources reported explosions and fires on the plant’s grounds.

SHOT wrote that at about 3:40 a.m., at least five explosions shook the suburbs of Samara, with flashes visible in the sky. Residents of Novokuybyshevsk also reported blasts, followed by footage of a refinery fire.

The Novokuybyshevsk facility processes more than 8.8 million tons of oil annually. It is the largest refinery of Rosneft’s Samara group and one of Russia’s main producers of RT jet fuel, used in aircraft such as the Su-27 and Tu-22M3 bombers.

Moreover, Ukrainian forces carried out a fire strike on a major transport infrastructure site – the Samara Linear Production and Dispatching Station (LVDS). This facility blends high- and low-sulfur oil to form the Urals export grade, which accounts for up to 50% of Russia’s total oil exports.

“All the affected facilities provide the Russian Armed Forces with fuel and lubricants,” the General Staff said, stressing that the Defense Forces are systematically targeting logistics and reducing Russia’s military-economic potential in the oil refining sector.

This was not the first attack on these facilities. On March 10, Ukrainian drones struck the Novokuybyshevsk refinery, and earlier in March 2024, another strike on the refinery forced a shutdown after damage to one of its units.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed in its morning report that between 11 p.m. on Sept. 19 and 6 a.m. on Sept. 20, its air defense intercepted and destroyed 149 Ukrainian drones:

• 40 over Rostov region
• 27 over Saratov region
• 18 over Bryansk region
• 15 over Samara region
• 12 over Crimea
• 8 over Volgograd region
• 4 over Belgorod region
• 2 each over Voronezh and Kaluga regions
• 1 each over Kursk, Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod regions

It also claimed 15 drones were destroyed over the Black Sea and three over the Sea of Azov.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/60526