A swarm of Ukrainian drones reached Ufa, one of Russia’s key oil refining hubs, and damaged Rosneft-operated refineries. The attack struck roughly 1,300 kilometers from the conflict’s front lines.
Among the facilities hit was the Bashneft-Novoil refinery, where the AVT-5 crude distillation unit sustained damage and caught fire. Bashneft, a Rosneft subsidiary, manages several large oil-processing plants in the Ufa area.
What happened in Ufa
The strike on April 2 targeted critical refining infrastructure that processes crude oil into usable fuel products. Russian officials attributed the damage to debris from a drone that had been shot down, claiming no substantial effect on the refinery’s operational output. Previous drone incidents at the Ufa refinery were reported as far back as September 2025, and Russian sources have consistently downplayed impacts from each successive attack.
Social media footage from the area showed significant fire activity at the site, contrasting with official statements.
