Key facts
- The Ryazan refinery is operated by Rosneft and can process about 17 million metric tons of crude a year.
- The plant sits roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Ukraine and makes gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
- Russian authorities had not confirmed a strike and Ryazan Oblast Governor Pavel Malkov had not commented, the Kyiv Independent said.
- The refinery has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes in recent months, the report said.
Russia's Ryazan oil refinery was reportedly targeted in a drone attack overnight into November 5, according to the Kyiv Independent. The Exilenova+ Telegram channel reported that drones reached the industrial area of the plant, one of Russia's largest oil processing facilities.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Russian air defenses operating, followed by an explosion and a bright glow in the night sky, the report said. Other footage appeared to show flames and thick smoke rising from the area. The Kyiv Independent said it could not immediately verify the footage or confirm whether the refinery sustained damage.
Russian authorities had not confirmed a strike at the time of publication, and Ryazan Oblast Governor Pavel Malkov had not commented on the reported incident, according to the report.
The refinery, operated by state-controlled oil company Rosneft, has annual processing capacity of around 17 million metric tons of crude oil. It sits roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Ukraine and produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products.
The facility has been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes in recent months. After an attack on October 15, it reportedly suspended operations at one of its main crude distillation units, Reuters reported, citing industry sources. Ukraine has continued attacks on Russian oil infrastructure in an effort to disrupt fuel supplies and undermine Moscow's ability to finance its war against Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent said.