Ukraine strikes Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat refinery in the Urals

Ukrainian drone strikes targeted the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refining and petrochemical complex in Russia’s Bashkortostan region. The attack, which occurred overnight, caused a fire at the facility, which processes up to 200,000 barrels of oil per day and 74 million barrels annually.

Regional Governor Radiy Khabirov reported that falling drone debris ignited a fire in the Salavat industrial area, wounding two civilians. The strike also reportedly affected a facility belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, though the company stated no goods were stored at the evacuated site.

This incident is part of an intensified Ukrainian campaign to disrupt Russia’s energy sector and reduce oil revenue. Recent refinery outages, including the complete halt of the Orsknefteorgsintez plant in the Orenburg region, have contributed to domestic fuel shortages in Russia, prompting the country to restrict exports of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel and begin importing gasoline from India.