Ukrainian drones struck a major Russian oil refinery on Thursday, September 18, around 1,400 kilometres from the front line, sparking a fire, according to officials from both countries. The attack marks the latest in a series of drone strikes targeting Russias energy infrastructure as Kyiv aims to disrupt the revenue streams that fund Moscows military operations. A source from Ukraines SBU security service said the drones hit the heart of a refinery in the central Bashkortostan region, operated by state-controlled energy company Gazprom. Images circulating on Russian social media, though unverified, showed flames and a plume of dark smoke rising from the facility. While Russia rarely acknowledges successful Ukrainian attacks, Radiy Khabirov, head of the Bashkortostan region, confirmed the strike on Thursday. He said two drones had attacked the refinery, but no casualties were reported. Passive and active defences were activated and the sites security opened fire to neutralise them, Khabirov wrote on social media. He added that authorities were assessing the damage and working to extinguish the fire. Drone strikes over the summer have already disrupted a significant portion of Russias refining capacity. Although official damage assessments are pending, fuel prices have surged nationwide, and petrol shortages have been reported in several regions. In response, the Kremlin extended a ban on petrol exports to stabilize domestic prices. Gazprom Neft said it was postponing planned maintenance at one of its sites to avoid worsening the fuel crisis. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has intensified measures to limit Russias energy revenue, including increasing tariffs on India for its Russian oil imports, pressuring China, and encouraging European countries to follow suit.
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