Ukrainian Forces Strike Russian Oil Refineries in Coordinated Attacks
Ninoda.com – Ukraine announced successful strikes against two major oil refineries situated well within Russian borders, utilizing patrol vessels and other maritime assets operating in the Black Sea. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the Bashneft-Novoil and Slavneft-Yanos facilities were targeted in operations designed to curtail Moscow’s oil income, which funds its military campaign.
Refinery Details and Damage Assessment
The Bashneft-Novoil plant, located in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic, sits approximately 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) from Ukraine’s frontier. Meanwhile, the Slavneft-Yanos refinery is positioned roughly 700 kilometers (435 miles) away. Zelensky noted that two military patrol boats alongside shadow fleet vessels—tankers employed by Russia for illicit sanctioned oil exports—were also damaged during the operations.
“Russia must choose peace,” Zelensky stated, emphasizing that Ukrainian strikes are “strengthening chances for diplomacy.”
Yaroslavl regional governor Mikhail Evraev described the Slavneft-Yanos incident as the “largest enemy drone attack” the region has experienced. He reported that the facility was engulfed in flames and that four individuals sustained injuries. Evraev added that 93 drones were destroyed over the Yaroslavl region during the night, with falling debris striking the refinery’s storage tanks. Emergency crews are currently working to contain the blaze.
Wider Impact on Both Nations
BBC Verify authenticated numerous videos and photographs circulating on social media platforms, revealing substantial smoke columns rising from the affected refinery. At least four separate fires appeared visible in one of the confirmed images. Energy infrastructure in Yaroslavl has faced repeated Ukrainian targeting in recent months.
Authorities in Bashkortostan have yet to issue an official statement regarding the reported assault on the Bashneft-Novoil refinery on August 5. In a separate development, Ukraine’s Black Sea operations resulted in damage to two dry cargo ships in the port city of Odesa, where one person lost their life.
Casualties and Infrastructure Disruptions in Ukraine
Ukraine reported that at least eleven citizens were killed during Russian overnight strikes. In the northeastern town of Balakliya, located in the Kharkiv region, three people died when Russian drones struck private residential buildings. Fires broke out in two structures, according to the state emergencies service DSNS.
Kharkiv regional head Oleh Synehubov later confirmed that two additional fatalities occurred when drones targeted the train station in Lozova. Eight more people were wounded in that incident. Meanwhile, Russian strikes on the central Dnipropetrovsk region claimed five lives on Thursday.
The southern city of Kherson experienced a complete power outage after a critical infrastructure component was damaged overnight. Regional leader Oleksandr Prokudin attributed the blackout to this hit. Internet monitoring organization NetBlocks reported “deep disruption” to connectivity in the area, with levels dropping to approximately 31% at their lowest point. By 12:00 GMT, connectivity had recovered to around 69%. Isik Mater, NetBlocks’ research head, explained that connectivity did not reach zero because residents utilized generators and backup power supplies.
Kherson’s current population stands at roughly 66,000 residents, representing about a quarter of its pre-war numbers.
Russia’s military announced in its latest operational update that its forces intercepted or destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions. The military also stated that it struck Ukrainian fuel, energy, and transport installations, along with drone storage locations.
Both nations have escalated their campaigns against major urban centers, energy installations, and warehouses over recent weeks. Despite these intensified efforts, the extensive front line has remained largely unchanged, and diplomatic initiatives to conclude the conflict have yet to achieve significant progress. Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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