Ukrainian drones struck the Russian city of Saratov overnight on Sept. 8, damaging civilian infrastructure and several residential buildings and injuring 10 people, including three children, according to local authorities.
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin said six people were hospitalized but there were no life-threatening injuries. A temporary shelter was opened for residents whose homes were damaged.
Russian independent outlet Astra, citing an analysis of eyewitness footage, reported that the apparent target was the Saratov oil refinery, one of Russia’s oldest, operated by state-owned oil giant Rosneft.
The refinery processed 5.8 million metric tons of crude in 2024, accounting for about 2.2% of Russia’s total oil refining. It produced 1.2 million tons of gasoline, 1.9 million tons of diesel and 1 million tons of fuel oil.
The Saratov refinery has been targeted by Ukrainian drones four times this year, on March 21, May 31, July 8 and Aug. 2. Previous strikes forced the facility to halt oil processing. After the Aug. 2 attack, a Reuters source said repairs could take two to three weeks.
Ukrainian strikes cripple Russian refining
The latest strike comes as Ukraine intensifies its campaign against Russia’s oil infrastructure, seeking to disrupt a key source of revenue and fuel for Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil refineries at least 70 times since the beginning of 2026, pushing Russia’s refining output to its lowest level in two decades.
By the end of August, gasoline production covered only around 70% of domestic demand, leaving a shortfall of roughly 30,000 tons per day.
At least 17 Russian regions have introduced restrictions on fuel sales, including limits of 30-40 liters per vehicle and “odd-even” systems based on license-plate numbers.
At least seven Russian refineries fully or partially halted production in August following drone attacks.
On Sept. 2, the KINEF refinery in Leningrad Oblast – Russia’s second-largest refinery by capacity – completely stopped processing.
Moscow turns to foreign fuel
The worsening shortage has forced Russia to take an unprecedented step: importing gasoline by sea.
Russian authorities have begun bringing in fuel from India, Morocco and Turkey, while also increasing gasoline purchases from Belarus to record levels.