Russian Refinery Catches Fire in Second-Largest Ukrainian Drone Attack of War

A significant Ukrainian drone assault, described as the second-largest of the war, has resulted in a fire at a refinery in Yaroslavl, a city located approximately 250 kilometers north of Moscow. The attack, which occurred Thursday, also led to injuries among four individuals.

According to regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev, fragments from downed drones struck refinery storage tanks, igniting a blaze. Emergency services were dispatched to combat the fire. Two women and one man sustained injuries from shrapnel and required hospitalization. The drones also caused fires in three private homes and damaged vehicles and windows in several residential buildings.

Independent Russian media outlets published images showing dense columns of smoke, with one source indicating the fire originated at the Slavneft-YANOS refinery. This facility processes roughly 15 million tons of crude oil annually and is among Russia's top five refineries. It has reportedly been targeted at least six times since March 28.

Russia's Ministry of Defense reported intercepting a total of 605 Ukrainian drones over 18 Russian regions, Crimea, and the Black and Azov Seas. The ministry stated that Thursday's attack was the second-largest drone offensive against Russian territory since June 26, when 660 drones were reportedly downed. Ukraine also reportedly targeted the Wildberries logistics center in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, for the second time in three days. The report comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the creation of a rear-defense service following recent civilian casualties in Russian territory.