Ukraine targets Russian oil refinery and drone airfield in latest cross-border attacks; Moscow intercepts over 300 drones overnight.
Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Infrastructure in Escalated Drone Offensive
Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a series of cross-border drone attacks targeting key Russian infrastructure, including a major oil refinery near Moscow, a drone airfield, and an electronics facility linked to Russia’s military-industrial operations.
Targets Hit Inside Russian Territory
According to Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), a long-range drone assault overnight struck the Ryazan Oil Refinery, located approximately 180 kilometres southeast of Moscow. Ukrainian officials said the attack caused a fire at the refinery, which is one of the largest suppliers of petroleum products in western Russia.
The USF also confirmed that the Annanefteprodukt oil storage facility in the Voronezh region and a military airfield in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, used for launching Russian drone strikes, were targeted. In addition, a facility in Penza believed to manufacture electronic components for Russian military use was struck.
Russia Responds With Widespread Interceptions
Russia’s Defence Ministry has not directly addressed the reported infrastructure hits but said it intercepted or destroyed 112 drones across eight regions, including Crimea. In its official daily statement, the ministry claimed a total of 338 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight, although it did not specify the total number launched.
Civilian Casualties Mount on Both Sides
The drone strikes triggered civilian casualties across several Russian regions. In Rostov, a border region with Ukraine, one person was killed in an overnight attack, according to acting governor Yuri Slyusar. In Penza, falling debris from intercepted drones killed a woman and injured two others. An elderly resident in Samara was killed in a fire sparked by drone wreckage.
On the Ukrainian side, Russia launched 53 drones and decoys overnight, of which 45 were shot down, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Eleven people were wounded in a strike on the Kharkiv region, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
Kyiv Retaliates After Deadly Russian Strike
The renewed drone exchange follows a deadly Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed 31 people, including five children, and injured over 150 others on Friday. The Ukrainian capital observed a day of mourning in response.
Ukraine’s intelligence service, the SBU, said the counterstrikes were in part retaliation for the mounting civilian toll and were aimed at degrading Russia’s ability to launch long-range assaults.
Growing Drone Capabilities and Battlefield Shifts
Ukraine has significantly expanded its long-range drone fleet since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Once heavily reliant on Western defense systems, the country now deploys domestically produced kamikaze drones capable of striking targets hundreds of kilometres deep inside Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported its forces captured Oleksandro-Kalynove village in the Donetsk region on Saturday, as the eastern front remains active. The battlefield claim has not yet been independently verified.
Political Ramifications and International Pressure
The drone escalation comes amid renewed diplomatic noise from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced plans to pressure Moscow into a ceasefire by August 8. Trump has dispatched special envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia, threatening intensified sanctions should no progress be made.
Nearly four years into the war, Russian forces now reportedly control close to 20% of Ukrainian territory. With both nations doubling down on long-range warfare, analysts say the conflict is entering a volatile new phase with escalating risks for civilians and infrastructure far from the front lines.
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