Drone Strikes Carried Out by Ukraine’s Armed Forces
Throughout September, Ukraine’s Armed Forces drone units launched attacks against 15 Russian oil refineries, along with a range of other critical facilities. These included petrochemical and chemical plants, oil depots, ports, and a naval base. In total, 30 targets were struck during the month, highlighting the broad scope of these operations. The most concentrated assaults took place in the Samara region, as well as at the Moscow oil refinery and plants located in Bashkortostan and Perm Krai.
Specifics of the Assaults
The Moscow refinery was hit on September 2, 3, and 20. The Saratov refinery suffered strikes on September 8 and 11, while the Lukoil-Permnefteorgsintez plant in Perm was attacked on September 7 and 25. Within the Samara region, four sites were targeted: the Syzran, Novokuybyshevsk, Kuybyshev refineries, and the Togliattikauchuk complex. Bashkortostan saw strikes on:
- Bashneft-UNPZ
- Bashneft-Novoyl (attacked on September 21 and 23)
- Sterlitamak petrochemical plant (September 4)
Additional refineries hit include:
- Ilsky and Tuapse refineries in Krasnodar Krai
- Novoshakhtinsk in Rostov Oblast
- Slavneft-YANOS in Yaroslavl
- Ryazan refinery
- Taneco in Nizhnekamsk
- Novatek-Ust-Luga in Leningrad Oblast
Beyond oil refineries, other strategic targets were also struck, including the Voronezh synthetic rubber plant, the Azot chemical complex in Berezniki (Perm Krai), and the Astrakhan gas processing plant. On September 10, attacks focused on the export terminal in Oli, Astrakhan Oblast, and the commercial sea port in Makhachkala. A naval base in Novorossiysk was hit just prior to September 10. Towards the end of the month, the 413th drone regiment conducted raids on four oil depots across Belgorod and Voronezh regions: Gubkinskaya, Oskolneftesnab, the Stoilensky mining and processing plant’s depot, and Liskinskaya. On September 11, a factory in Snizhne, located in occupied Donetsk, was also targeted.
Every operation involved drone units, notably the 1st Separate Drone Center. Other participants included the 414th 'Madjar Bird' Brigade, the 412th 'Nemesis' Brigade, the Special Operations Forces, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), and various components of Ukraine’s Defense Forces. The most complex operation occurred on September 20 against the Moscow refinery, involving four drone units alongside Special Operations, SBU, and HUR forces.
The series of strikes in September was described by Madjar as "30 steps by the Drone Birds towards draining the swamps."
Robert Brovdi commented, "They say a drop hollows out a stone, and the enemy is now just a step away from losing the remaining capacity of their worm-infested oil facilities." He added, "We will stand firm. Moscow will fall."
These strikes reflect a significant escalation in both the scale and effectiveness of Ukrainian drone operations against Russia, focusing on critical sectors such as energy infrastructure. The deliberate targeting of key industrial sites aims to undermine Russia’s military capabilities by disrupting vital supply chains. Such actions have the potential to increase regional tensions and influence the trajectory of the ongoing conflict.
In light of these extensive operations, it is important to note that the Ukrainian military has recently confirmed strikes on two major oil refineries in Russia, which resulted in significant fires. This escalation underscores the ongoing intensity of the conflict and the strategic importance of targeting energy infrastructure. For more details on the impact of these strikes, you can read further in our article about the recent attacks on Russian oil facilities.