Ukraine’s Defense Forces’ Unmanned Systems struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region in the early hours of Friday, Sept. 5.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, reported the attack on Telegram, writing: “Ryazan oil refinery. Excellent work by the UAV Forces.”
Regional governor Pavel Malkov confirmed the incident, saying drone debris had fallen on the industrial site. He added that “eight UAVs were shot down over the Ryazan region by air defense and electronic warfare systems. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties and no damage to residential buildings or infrastructure.”
According to the Ukrainian monitoring group Exilenova+, the strike likely hit the ELOU-AVT-6 unit, which processes over six million tons of oil products annually.
Explosions were also reported in Russia’s Lipetsk region, where local channels suggested drones may have targeted the “Energia” plant.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that its forces “intercepted and destroyed” 92 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Kyiv has repeatedly stressed that it strikes only military and strategic targets directly supporting Russia’s war effort. Attacks on oil refineries, in particular, are intended to reduce Moscow’s ability to produce and supply fuel for military equipment and logistics.
At the same time, Russia continues to deliberately target civilians. On Thursday evening, a drone strike on the village of Khotymlia in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region killed three people — two men and a woman — and wounded two others, including road repair workers.
Earlier Thursday, a Russian rocket attack killed two people from the Danish Refugee Council who were clearing mines in an area of Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region previously occupied by Moscow’s forces, local authorities said.
Russia’s defense ministry denied the victims were humanitarian workers, saying they had hit a launch point for long-range drones.