Ukraine said Thursday it used British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles to strike a major oil refinery inside Russia, marking another long-range blow to Moscow’s energy infrastructure.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said its air force hit the Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant in Russia’s Rostov region, reporting “numerous explosions” at the site.
“Units of the air force successfully struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation with Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles,” the military said in a statement.
Ukraine said the Novoshakhtinsk refinery is a key fuel supplier in southern Russia and plays a direct role in supporting the Russian military, providing diesel fuel and aviation kerosene.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine has attacked the Novoshakhtinsk refinery at least six times. The first strike was reported in March 2024. Thursday’s attack was the first confirmed use of Storm Shadow cruise missile against the facility.
The refinery is located about 175 kilometers from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Storm Shadow missiles have a range of more than 250 kilometers.
Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian energy and logistics sites deep behind the front lines, seeking to offset Moscow’s near-daily missile and drone attacks on Ukraine by hitting infrastructure critical to Russia’s war effort.