Ukrainian drones have struck the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight on Friday, once again targeting one of Moscow’s key fuel suppliers.
“As part of reducing the enemy’s offensive potential and complicating the supply of fuel and ammunition to the military units of the occupiers, on the night of Sept. 26, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, struck the facilities of the Afipsky oil refinery,” Ukraine’s General Staff wrote in its Friday Telegram update.
The refinery mainly produces gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, with an annual processing volume of 6.25 million tons, according to the update.
“The hit and fire have been confirmed. The extent and details of the damage are being clarified,” it added.
Local Russian Telegram channels also reported a fire in the area. According to Krasnodar’s Operations Headquarters, fragments of a drone hit one of the installations and triggered a fire covering over 30 square meters (323 square feet) that was later extinguished. No injuries were reported.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, including three over Krasnodar.
This marks at least the fourth Ukrainian strike on the Afipsky refinery in recent months. It was previously hit on Aug. 28 and Aug. 7, with fires forcing the shutdown of one processing unit. In February 2025, it was also targeted by drones.
According to Russian media, Afipsky is one of the largest refineries in southern Russia, with a capacity of 9.1 million tons per year. Earlier this year, the plant completed a 217-billion-ruble ($2.6 billion) reconstruction and had planned further modernization.
Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian refineries since August, partially or completely disabling at least five major facilities.
Russia’s fuel crisis
According to Reuters, Russia’s refining capacity has been reduced by 17%, down to about 1.1 million barrels per day. Sources cited by the Russian newspaper Kommersant said gasoline production has dropped by around 10%.
Amid this downturn, more than 300 gas stations across Russia have shut down, while many regions have imposed restrictions on sales by limiting customers to just 10-20 liters (2.6-5.3 gallons) per purchase.
The crisis is being compounded by record price hikes, with gasoline prices soaring 40-50% since the start of the year.
Speaking to reporters, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky said Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s fuel sector have disrupted logistics and supply lines for the Russian military.
“In just under two months, 85 important facilities on enemy territory have been hit. Of these, 33 are military targets: bases, warehouses, arsenals, airfields, aircraft on parking lots,” he said.
“Another 52 are military-industrial complex facilities: enterprises that manufacture weapons, ammunition, warheads, engines, rocket fuel, drones – everything that is used against us every day,” Syrsky added.
Syrsky said that among the destroyed targets, the damage to enterprises producing fuel and components for missile technology is particularly significant.
“You know the results. This is a fuel crisis in the territory of Russia, which directly affects the logistics and support of its army. The capabilities of the enemy’s military-industrial complex have been significantly reduced – and we see this on the battlefield,” Syrsky told RBC Ukraine on Friday.
According to him, the strikes have forced the Kremlin to alter its operational behavior.
“This forced the Russian fleet to hide at the base in Novorossiysk and come out only for a short time – for missile strikes – and then return to shelters again. This also forced the enemy to pull tactical aviation to considerable distances from the front line,” he added.
Syrsky said the fuel disruption is undermining Russian mobility and weakening its troops at the front.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that US President Donald Trump has expressed approval of Kyiv’s strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure.
After meeting with Zelensky in New York on Tuesday, Trump himself commented on the situation, saying that Russia was facing a fuel crisis and major economic problems.
“They’re doing very poorly considering they have put it all on the line. Their economy is going to hell. They’re bombing the hell out of everything and picking up very little territory,” he said.
“I think it’s very bad for the reputation of Russia.”