Video: Ukraine strikes two Russian oil refineries, hits warships in black sea
Abdullateef Fowewe
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have carried out coordinated long‑range strikes on two major Russian oil refineries and attacked Russian naval assets in the Black Sea.
This was made known in a statement on Thursday by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing the operations as “long‑range sanctions” aimed at cutting Moscow’s oil revenues that fund the war.
Long‑range strikes hit refineries in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck the Bashneft‑Novoil refinery in Ufa, Bashkortostan more than 1,300 km from the front line and the Slavneft‑YANOS refinery in the Yaroslavl region, about 700 km from Ukraine’s border.
Eyewitness footage shared by the president showed thick black smoke plumes rising above forested industrial zones and near waterways after explosions were heard, consistent with fires at large refining facilities.
Yaroslavl’s governor, Mikhail Yevrayev, described the overnight assault as one of the largest drone attacks on the region since the war began, claiming air defenses intercepted dozens of drones while acknowledging damage to homes and vehicles.
Ukraine’s General Staff separately confirmed fires at Slavneft‑YANOS, reporting three distinct fire outbreaks at the site, and noted a fire at Bashneft‑Novoil a day earlier, with preliminary damage to a combined process unit and a catalytic reforming unit.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine’s responses in the Black Sea were “successful,” with strikes on two Russian military patrol boats and on vessels linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to evade sanctions on oil shipments.
The statement did not specify the exact location of the maritime strikes, but framed them as part of the same campaign to degrade Russia’s ability to generate and move oil revenues that finance its military operations.
In his statement, Zelenskyy framed the deep strikes as economic pressure rather than purely military targeting, arguing that hitting oil infrastructure weakens Russia’s war budget and strengthens Ukraine’s diplomatic leverage.
“Today, our long-range sanctions once again worked to limit Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians,” he wrote.
He added, “Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck the aggressor’s facilities more than 1,300 kilometers from the front line. In the Yaroslavl region, nearly 700 kilometers from our border, the Slavneft-YANOS refinery was hit.”
On the Black Sea operations, Zelenskyy said, “Our responses to Russian aggression in the Black Sea were also successful. In particular, two military patrol boats and shadow fleet vessels were struck.”
He concluded by crediting the troops for expanding Ukraine’s strike range and linking that capability to diplomacy, “I thank all the warriors of the Defense Forces who are systematically expanding our long-range capabilities and thereby increasing the chances for diplomacy. Russia must choose peace.”
