Drone Strike Hits Chemical Complex in Volgograd as Fire Erupts at Yaroslavl Refinery

Ukrainian long-range drones struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries and a major chemical plant the night of Saturday-Sunday, as Kyiv continues to degrade the industrial infrastructure funding Moscow’s war effort.

In Yaroslavl, located in Russia’s Central Federal District, drones targeted the Slavneft-YANOS refinery, causing a fire at the facility.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, confirmed the strike and released footage of the incident. Slavneft-YANOS, controlled by Rosneft and Gazprom, is among Russia’s top five refineries by processing volume and serves as a critical fuel supplier for the country’s central regions.

Simultaneously, a separate drone strike in the Volgograd region damaged a high-pressure sulfuric acid pipeline at the Apatit nitrogen complex. Volgograd Governor Georgiy Filimonov reported that while the attack did not trigger a fire, five employees sustained chemical burns and were hospitalized.

Additional drone activity was recorded in the Tambov region, with explosions reported near the city of Michurinsk.

This expansion of long-range operations follows a highly successful week for Ukraine’s aerial campaign.

On April 22, the Tuapse and Novokuibyshevsk oil refineries, both owned by Rosneft, were forced to suspend operations following repeated drone strikes. The Tuapse facility, which processes 12 million metric tons annually, has been crippled by fires and damage to its port infrastructure, with local observers describing the scene as a “man-made disaster” as oil products leaked into the surrounding areas.

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Kyrylo Budanov, the Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, has emphasized that strikes on Russian export and industrial hubs are critical for “strengthening Ukraine’s position in ongoing negotiations.” Despite reported concerns from some global allies regarding energy prices, Kyiv has maintained its focus on degrading the industrial revenue streams that fund Moscow’s war effort.

By shifting targets from oil terminals to chemical infrastructure deep within Russian territory, Ukraine continues to demonstrate the increasing reach and precision of its long-range drone fleet.