Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refinery

A large-scale Ukrainian drone and missile attack attacked the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s southern Rostov region overnight, igniting a fire that lasted more than six hours, officials from both countries acknowledged on Thursday, December 19.

Ukraine’s General Staff claimed responsibility for the attack, describing the refinery as a facility “used to meet the needs of the Russian armed forces.” The strike is part of a larger effort aimed at Russian energy infrastructure, which Ukraine sees as payback for Moscow’s ongoing attacks on its electricity supply.

“A fire has been confirmed in the area of the facility,” Ukraine’s military statement read.

Russian officials acknowledged the occurrence. Rostov Governor Yuri Slyusar stated that the fire was the result of “a massive attack by the enemy, who used more than three dozen drones and three missiles.” The refinery, which is only 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Ukrainian border but roughly 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the nearest Ukrainian military positions, sustained considerable damage, according to a source in Ukraine’s SBU security service.

The source, speaking anonymously to AFP, detailed the coordinated operation: “SBU drones first overloaded the Russian air defences protecting the plant. By doing so, they created a window of opportunity for Ukrainian missiles, which the SBU and the Navy jointly used in the next stage.”

Images circulating on Russian social media showed a big fire engulfing the location, while heavy gray smoke billowed into the sky. While AFP could not independently verify the photographs, they do emphasize the extent of the destruction.

The Russian defense ministry said that Ukraine launched 84 drones overnight, 36 of which were intercepted over the Rostov region. Drones were also destroyed in Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Tambov, and Krasnodar regions.

This current escalation comes amid increased bombardment from both sides. Ukraine has regularly targeted Russian energy facilities over the nearly three-year conflict, signaling a shift in strategy to strike crucial infrastructure deep within Russian territory.

As the conflict progresses, strikes and counter-strikes highlight the changing tactics used by both sides, with civilian and military infrastructure increasingly caught in the crossfire.