Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) separately confirmed to local media that it deployed drones against the facility.
Refinery 800 km from the border
Kstovo lies about 800 kilometers from the Russian border. The same site was reportedly targeted in March 2024, resulting in a temporary shutdown. Media reports say it is the fourth-largest refinery in Russia, with an annual capacity of 17 million tons of crude oil and a key supplier of gasoline to the Moscow region—accounting for roughly 30% of Russia’s total consumption.
Residents reported at least three explosions inside the refinery, according to local media outlet Suspilne, which also cited unnamed sources saying four strikes occurred in the storage area.
Refinery attacks on the rise
The Kstovo incident comes just days after another refinery in Ryazan was hit, causing production to be halted. Sources told Reuters a storage facility and a loading ramp for trains were damaged, and that one of the installations burned. Last week, multiple refineries across Russia were reportedly on fire.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down 104 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, without specifying where or when. Separately, airport operations in Kazan, Tatarstan, were suspended due to what authorities called a drone-related threat. The governor of the Smolensk region claimed a drone was shot down during an attempted strike on a nuclear power plant; he said there were no casualties or damage.
Formation of drone units
Russia plans to form specialized regiments dedicated to drone warfare, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Ukraine was the first country to establish dedicated Unmanned Systems Forces, suggesting Moscow’s move may be an attempt to replicate Kyiv’s approach.
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Source: Polskie Radio 24, IAR