Nighttime drone campaign strikes fuel and military infrastructure
In the early hours of August 30, drones hit three major targets inside Russia: the KINEF oil refinery in Kirishi, Leningrad Oblast; the military airfield at Yeysk in Krasnodar Krai; and Millerovo airfield. A large fire broke out at KINEF, while at Yeysk an ammunition storage site exploded and continued to detonate for over an hour. A fire was also reported in the Millerovo airfield area. These sites are high-value because they sit at the center of fuel logistics and military aviation operations.
KINEF, the only oil refinery in northwestern Russia, was struck overnight on August 29–30. Local residents shared footage of a massive blaze at the facility, and the monitoring outlet Exilenova+ published images and video from the scene. The governor of Leningrad Oblast confirmed that drone strikes had caused a fire in the industrial zone of Kirishi.
According to preliminary monitoring data, the following units were in the affected zone:
- L-35-11/1000
- LCh-35-11/600
- AT-1
- hydrotreating unit LCh-24-9/2000
KINEF belongs to the Surgutneftegas structure and processes roughly 20 million tonnes of oil per year. It supplies fuel to Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast, while part of its output is exported.
Munitions depot blast and prolonged detonation at Yeysk
The same night, drones struck the Yeysk military airfield and the adjacent military settlement. A munitions warehouse exploded, and secondary detonations went on for more than an hour. NASA FIRMS satellite data recorded the Yeysk fire at 04:02, showing flames spreading from the aircraft parking area toward the runway.
Authorities opened a temporary accommodation point at a local culture center. A drone alert for the region was announced at 02:58 local time and canceled at 05:33, meaning the warning lasted roughly three hours.
Russian aviation uses Yeysk to launch missiles and drop guided bombs on Ukrainian territory. The base hosts the 859th Naval Aviation Combat Employment and Retraining Center of the Russian Navy, as well as the NITKA land-based test-training complex designed to simulate an aircraft carrier deck.
Because of regular drone attacks, Russian forces no longer keep combat jets at Yeysk on a permanent basis; before their own strikes, they sometimes transfer some aircraft there. Following the overnight attack, reports emerged of a fire at Millerovo airfield. Earlier, the Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai was also reported burning after a strike.
These attacks on strategic targets inside Russia indicate an escalation of hostilities and growing risk to critical infrastructure, potentially affecting the country's military and economic capabilities.
Given KINEF's central role in fuel supply and the importance of Yeysk to military operations, further strikes could substantially undermine Russia's ability to conduct combat operations in the region.