Ukraine's Drones Droned In—And 2 of Russia's Biggest Refineries Exploded

Aug. 2 oil targets account for 8% of Russian refining

Ukrainian drones motored across Russia on Saturday morning and struck oil refineries in Ryazan and Novokuibyshevsk, respectively 320 miles and 650 miles from Ukraine.

The Ryazan refinery, which has come under attack before, is responsible for as much as 5% of Russian refining. Ryazan is one of the bigger oil targets Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit since September 2023. Total Russian refinery output is around 300 million tons a year.

The hit on the Novokuibyshevsk refinery, which may have struck a vulnerable and hard-to-repair distillation tower, sent a fireball billowing into the sky. (See video.) The Novokuibyshevsk facility accounts for around 3% of annual refining in Russia.

After a months-long lull, Ukraine’s campaign targeting Russia’s most important industry is back on, it seems.