Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refineries as Black Sea Attacks Escalate
Kyiv says long-range drone strikes hit key Russian energy facilities while Moscow intensifies attacks across Ukraine, leaving civilians dead and critical infrastructure damaged.
Smoke rises from a Russian oil refinery after Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes.
KYIV, Aug. 6: The Ukraine Russia War intensified after Ukraine launched long-range drone strikes on two major oil refineries inside Russia, while Moscow responded with fresh attacks that killed civilians and damaged critical infrastructure across Ukraine.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the overnight operation targeted the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Russia’s Yaroslavl region. He said the strikes aimed to reduce the oil revenues Russia uses to finance its military campaign.
Ukraine Russia War
Zelensky also said Ukrainian forces struck two Russian military patrol boats and several so-called “shadow fleet” vessels in the Black Sea. These ships are widely linked to Russia’s sanctioned oil exports.
He said increasing pressure on Russia’s military and energy infrastructure would strengthen prospects for diplomacy and encourage Moscow to pursue peace.
Major Fire Breaks Out at Russian Refinery
Yaroslavl Governor Mikhail Evraev confirmed that the Slavneft-Yanos refinery caught fire after what he described as the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the region.
He said emergency crews responded quickly after debris from intercepted drones ignited fuel storage tanks. Four people were injured during the incident.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed large fires and thick smoke rising from the refinery. Independent visual verification also confirmed multiple fires at the site.
Officials in Bashkortostan did not immediately comment on reports that the Bashneft-Novoil refinery had also been targeted.
Russian Attacks Kill Civilians Across Ukraine
Ukraine said Russian strikes killed at least 11 people across several regions.
Three civilians died in Balakliya, in the Kharkiv region, after drones hit residential buildings and sparked fires.
Regional authorities later reported that another two people were killed when Russian drones struck the railway station in Lozova, while eight others suffered injuries.
Officials in the central Dnipropetrovsk region said Russian attacks killed five more people.
Kherson Suffers Complete Power Outage
In southern Ukraine, the city of Kherson experienced a total blackout after Russian forces struck a critical infrastructure facility overnight.
Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said emergency teams were working to restore electricity.
Internet monitoring organisations also reported major disruptions across the region, although backup generators helped keep some communications operating.
Russia Reports Hundreds of Ukrainian Drones
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted or destroyed 605 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions.
The military also announced strikes on Ukrainian fuel depots, energy facilities, transport infrastructure and drone storage sites.
Both countries have sharply increased attacks on energy infrastructure, industrial facilities and military targets in recent weeks as front-line fighting remains largely unchanged.
Despite several international mediation efforts, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
