Ukrainian forces struck the Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery in Russia’s Orenburg Oblast on Tuesday, Aug. 11, causing a fire at the facility more than 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Ukraine’s General Staff said.
The refinery is one of Russia’s major oil-processing facilities and can process up to 6 million metric tons of crude oil annually, producing gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil and bitumen, according to Reuters.
Ukraine’s military said the extent of the damage was still being assessed.
Fire reported at major Russian refinery
The attack on Orsknefteorgsintez followed explosions reported in Orsk early Tuesday morning.
Ukrainian and Russian reports said a fire broke out at the refinery following the drone attack. Russian authorities also imposed temporary restrictions on air traffic in the area.
The refinery has previously been targeted by Ukrainian drones, including in April 2026.
Ukraine reports strikes across Crimea and the occupied south
The strike on the Orsk refinery was part of a broader overnight Ukrainian operation targeting Russian military and energy infrastructure, according to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.
Ukrainian forces said their units struck 43 locations in occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine.
The reported targets included Russian military logistics facilities, ammunition and supply depots, energy infrastructure and other military assets.
Ukrainian forces also said they destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system and struck a vessel belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet in the Black Sea.
The claims regarding the additional targets have not been independently verified.
Orsk refinery is a key fuel supplier
The Orsknefteorgsintez refinery is located in Orsk, in Russia’s Orenburg Oblast, near the country’s border with Kazakhstan.
The facility processes crude oil into several types of petroleum products, making it an important part of Russia’s energy infrastructure.