Ukrainian Drones Strike Oil Facilities in Ufa and Krasnodar

Ukrainian long-range drones targeted key oil facilities in the Russian city of Ufa and a fuel depot in Krasnodar, as reported by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy Acknowledges the Operations

Zelenskyy confirmed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine effectively struck the Poltavska oil depot in Krasnodar, situated approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the frontline.

Concurrently, he mentioned that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) executed attacks on two oil refineries in Ufa, located around 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Zelenskyy asserted these long-range strikes were a direct rebuttal to ongoing Russian hostilities, aiming to compel Moscow to pursue genuine diplomatic solutions instead of prolonging the conflict.

Impact on the Krasnodar Fuel Depot

The Poltavska oil depot, a crucial supply point for parts of Krasnodar and the Republic of Adygea, was reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones, causing a fire and damaging multiple storage tanks. At least one tank storing fuel was affected, necessitating temporary traffic halts on nearby roads.

Ufa Refineries Targeted

In Ufa, the attacks concentrated on two out of the city’s three northern oil refineries—Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim and Bashneft-Novoil, both operated by Bashneft, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosneft.

Drone Footage from Ufa

Independent news outlets in Russia shared footage capturing drones over Ufa, attributed to local witnesses. The depictions are believed to illustrate Ukraine's domestically manufactured "Liutyi" drones, employed frequently in deep-strike missions targeting Russian energy assets.

Recovery in Bashkortostan

Radiy Khabirov, the head of Bashkortostan, noted that the attack was thwarted by Russian air defenses and corporate safety protocols. He reported that debris fell in industrial areas but no injuries occurred, and normal operations continued.

Prior Attacks on Bashneft-Novoil

This recent event follows earlier drone strikes on Bashneft-Novoil on April 2, which resulted in significant fires in the refinery’s CDU-5 distillation unit, constituting approximately 28% of its processing capabilities.