Ukrainian drones launched a coordinated overnight strike on September 5, 2025, targeting key Russian oil facilities deep inside enemy territory, including Russia’s largest Rosneft refinery in Ryazan and an oil depot in occupied Luhansk Oblast. The attacks, confirmed by Ukraine’s top drone warfare commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, aim to cripple Moscow’s war machine by disrupting fuel supplies critical to its military operations.

Brovdi, head of the Unmanned Systems Forces, reported on Telegram that the strikes would exacerbate fuel shortages in Russia, declaring, “Gasoline is becoming scarce, while gas and oil are quickly running out.” The operation involved elite units from the 14th Regiment “Bird’s Sting,” coordinated with Special Operations Forces and Defense Intelligence, marking another escalation in Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s energy sector.

In Ryazan, 180 kilometers southeast of Moscow, residents awoke to thunderous explosions around 2 a.m., followed by a massive blaze that illuminated the night sky. Social media flooded with videos and photos showing thick black smoke billowing from the Rosneft Ryazan refinery on the city’s southern edge. Ukraine’s General Staff specified that the ELOU-AVT-6 primary oil processing unit—capable of handling 6 million tons annually—was directly hit, contributing to the facility’s overall 13.8 million-ton yearly capacity. This marks the second major strike on the plant in just over a month; a previous attack on August 2 halted two of its three main refining units, forcing partial shutdowns.

Ryazan Oblast Governor Pavel Malkov downplayed the incident, claiming air defenses downed eight drones with debris landing on an “industrial site,” insisting no casualties or residential damage occurred. He notably avoided mentioning the refinery fire, which NASA’s fire monitoring system detected as two active blazes at the site. Eyewitness accounts to pro-Kremlin outlet Shot described the explosions and ensuing inferno, with local Telegram channels sharing footage of raging flames.

These attacks are part of Ukraine’s intensified long-range campaign since early 2024, focusing on refineries and depots to erode Russia’s war funding. August alone saw strikes on at least 12 facilities, idling over 17% of national processing capacity—equivalent to 1.1 million barrels per day. The Ryazan refinery alone accounts for about 5% of Russia’s petroleum output, and repeated hits—like this one, the third in three months—have forced precautionary shutdowns and repairs estimated at four weeks. Analysts warn that sustained pressure could push Russia’s refining capacity down to 15-20% offline, fueling domestic shortages and economic strain amid U.S. sanctions on major oil firms like Rosneft.

On X (formerly Twitter), users shared real-time footage and reactions, with posts from accounts like @TVPWorld_com and @MoloWarMonitor amplifying videos of the fires and explosions, garnering thousands of views. As Ukraine’s drone capabilities evolve—flying farther with heavier payloads—these strikes underscore Kyiv’s asymmetric strategy to bring the war’s costs home to Russia’s heartland.