On Thursday, September 18, Ukraine launched a drone attack on a large Russian oil refinery, located about 1,400 kilometres from the battlefield. The strike caused a fire and is part of Ukraine’s effort to weaken Russia’s energy sector, which brings in money for its war.

According to a source from Ukraine’s SBU security service, the drones targeted the “heart” of the refinery in Bashkortostan, a region in central Russia. The facility is run by Gazprom, a state-owned energy company. Pictures shared online, though not verified, showed heavy smoke and flames rising from the area.

Russia often avoids admitting when Ukraine’s strikes are successful, but this time Radiy Khabirov, the regional governor, confirmed the attack. He said two drones hit the refinery but no lives were lost. Security forces fired back at the drones, while emergency teams worked to control the fire and check the damage.

Over the summer, drone strikes have already forced several Russian refineries to cut back production. This has led to fuel shortages in some regions and pushed petrol prices up across the country. To ease the crisis, the Kremlin recently extended a ban on petrol exports.

In response to the growing fuel problem, Gazprom Neft announced it would delay maintenance at one of its plants to prevent further shortages. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to block Russia’s energy profits. His measures include higher tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil, pressure on China, and urging European countries to cut reliance on Moscow’s supplies.