Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuybyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region on the night of August 22, hitting a facility that processes nearly 9 million tons of crude oil per year and lies roughly 1,000 kilometres from the front line. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack in a post on X, saying the operation deprived Russia of millions of dollars in export revenues. The strikes also targeted a logistics hub in the Samara region and positions in the Black Sea.
Multi-Target Deep-Strike Campaign
In addition to the refinery, Ukrainian drones hit an Ozon e-commerce warehouse in Chapaevsk, part of a broader wave of long-range attacks across Russian territory. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the Novokuybyshevsk strike, reporting that a fire broke out on the refinery’s premises.
Samara region governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said two people died and several others were injured. Bloomberg reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the economic impact of Ukraine’s refinery strikes, a rare public admission of the damage.
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Su-24M aircraft and four pieces of airfield equipment in previous strikes, while in the Bryansk region they took out drone-control relay stations used to guide attack UAVs toward Ukrainian cities.
Diplomatic Push for Air Defence
The strikes came as Zelenskyy held high-level meetings focused on securing Patriot missile interceptors ahead of winter. In a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the Ukrainian president discussed strengthening air defence and advancing a bilateral Drone Deal.
Putin’s rockets and drones are attacking the country more relentlessly than ever before. The Russian attacks are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure such as power and heating supply. That is why we are already thinking about the winter now. – Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister
In a nearly two-hour call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskyy secured a pledge for France to help secure Patriot interceptors from international partners and accelerate delivery of advanced French equipment and missiles. Macron condemned the latest Russian assaults, saying Russia was continuing and intensifying the crime of its aggression by systematically targeting civilians.
Expanding Long-Range Drone Campaign
The Novokuybyshevsk attack is part of Ukraine’s rapidly expanding long-range drone campaign that has struck oil refineries, ammunition depots, airbases, and logistics hubs hundreds of kilometres from the front line. Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert Brovdi has said there is no longer a peaceful rear across the European part of Russia.
Russia’s Samara region, home to several major refineries, has become a frequent target. The Novokuybyshevsk facility was previously struck on August 28, 2025, when a large fire broke out on the enterprise’s territory. The strikes aim to degrade Russia’s domestic refining capacity and cut into export revenues that fund the war effort.
The escalation comes as Russia intensifies aerial attacks on Ukraine, with recent strikes on Kyiv and the Kryvyi Rih shopping centre killing dozens of civilians. Ukraine’s air defence stocks are critically low, with Zelenskyy warning allies that Patriot interceptor supplies are running out amid a surge in ballistic missile attacks.
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