Ukraine’s latest wave of long-range drone strikes has hit a key refinery in central Russia, targeting the Slavneft plant in Yaroslavl, which supplies base oils and fuels to the domestic market.
The refinery – a 50-50 joint venture between Russian energy companies Gazprom Neft and Rosneft – has the capacity to produce around 150,000 metric tons per year of API Group I and 100,000 t/y of Group III base oils.
Ukrainian drones struck the facility early on April 26, according to Russian and Ukrainian reports citing open-source intelligence channels. The attack began around 00:40 local time, with residents reporting at least 15 explosions. Shockwaves rattled windows and triggered car alarms in nearby areas, it was reported.
A fire broke out in the refinery complex following the attacks, while regional authorities declared a drone alert. Operations at the nearby Yaroslavl airport were temporarily suspended.
Slavneft is one of Russia’s five largest refineries by primary processing capacity, estimated at about 15 million t/y. It produces gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel, in addition to base oils.
The strike was one of a series of attacks on Russian oil infrastructure over the past several weeks. Since late March, Ukrainian drones have targeted refineries in Kirishi, Saratov, Ufa and Novokuibyshevsk, as well as export terminals in Primorsk, Ust-Luga and Tuapse.
Bashneft’s Ufa and Rosneft’s Novokuibyshevsk refineries – major base oil and lubricants production centers – were also targeted in separate attacks last year. The plants can produce about 220,000 t/y and 260,000 t/y of Group I base stocks, respectively.
Sergey Alaksashenko, a Russian economic analyst, said the strikes are having localized effects but are not decisive for the broader economy.
“The estimates are that these attacks have disrupted around 10% of Russia’s refining capacity,” he told a Russian news channel. “While this can create serious problems in specific regions, it is not critical at the national level. If a major plant such as Gazprom Neft’s Omsk refinery is hit, shortages may spread beyond the immediate area and, during peak agricultural seasons, push gasoline prices higher. Even so, transport disruptions can be offset by rerouting shipments, including by rail.”
He added that the Russian strategic reserves could also cover roughly two and a half weeks even in a full domestic supply crunch.
On April 21, drones hit the Samara linear production dispatch station, damaging five crude storage tanks. A day later, a strike targeted the Syzran refinery. On April 26, another transportation hub was struck, the Nikolskoye dispatch station, part of Russia’s trunk pipeline system.
These stations regulate flows of crude and refined products between refineries, storage sites and export routes, including pipelines linked to the Druzhba network via Belarus.
Separately, waves of drone strikes over the past 10 days have hit the Black Sea port of Tuapse, a key hub for shipments to Mediterranean markets that includes a large petroleum storage tank farm and a smaller refinery. The attack triggered a fire that burned for several days, according to regional reports. New blazes were reported last night as well.
The incident also caused an oil spill estimated to stretch up to 77 kilometers in nearby waters, causing tremendous pollution on the coastline flora and wildlife. Residents have been reporting heavy smoke and soot fallout, with dark, oil-laden precipitation observed during the blaze, according to the reports. Evacuations are taking place in the hardest-hit parts of the city.
Russian authorities have not publicly detailed the extent of damage at Tuapse, Yaroslavl or other facilities. However, the frequency of attacks has led to temporary shutdowns, emergency responses and transport disruptions across several regions.
The targeted sites include both refining units and infrastructure supporting storage and distribution, such as port facilities, tank farms and pipeline control stations. Drone strikes on Russian energy assets have intensified since early spring, amid the Iran crisis and Washington’s recent easing of some restrictions on Russian oil flows.
Slavneft-Yaroslavnefteorghsintez remains one of the largest refineries in northern Russia and a key supplier of fuels and base stocks to the domestic market. The latest strikes are part of Ukraine’s campaign against Russian refining and export infrastructure, as global energy markets tighten amid the Iran crisis and disruptions to Strait of Hormuz flows.