Key facts
- Ukrainian drones struck the Syzran Oil Refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast.
- The strike reportedly caused fires within the refinery complex.
- Ukraine's Special Operations Forces confirmed the strike, stating the refinery supplies fuel to the Russian military.
- An electrical substation in Syzran was also reportedly targeted, leading to blackouts.
- The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down 12 Ukrainian drones over Samara Oblast.
- The Syzran Oil Refinery has an annual processing capacity of 7 to 8.9 million tons of oil.
Ukrainian drones targeted the Syzran Oil Refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast overnight on December 28, causing fires and damaging an oil processing facility and an electrical substation. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed the strike, stating that the refinery supplies fuel to the Russian military. Local residents reported multiple explosions and blackouts in the city following the attack.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 12 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Samara Oblast during the night. In addition to the Syzran refinery, the Ukrainian military also reported striking other Russian military facilities, including a storage and maintenance facility for uncrewed boats in Crimea, a repair unit in Luhansk Oblast, a pontoon crossing, and a drone storage facility in Donetsk Oblast. The General Staff also confirmed damage to a pipeline and an oil production unit at the Lukoil-Volgogradneftepererabotka oil products refinery in Volgograd Oblast from a previous strike.
The Syzran Oil Refinery, which belongs to the Russian state oil giant Rosneft, is located approximately 700 kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border and has an annual processing capacity of 7 to 8.9 million tons of oil. The facility has been a target in Ukraine's ongoing campaign against Russia's oil industry, which funds the war effort. A previous drone attack on December 5 reportedly forced the refinery to halt operations.