Ukraine's military launched long-range drones on Thursday to strike two Russian oil refineries, continuing its campaign to target energy infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the armed forces attacked the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in the Yaroslavl Oblast. The Slavneft-Yanos refinery, located hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border in Yaroslavl, is one of Russia's largest oil processing facilities.

On July 15, 2026, residents in Yaroslavl, Russia, were seen queuing at a Gazprom Neft gas station. Russia, a major global oil producer, has recently imposed several restrictions on gasoline sales nationwide. Ukraine's sustained strikes on refineries, storage facilities, and logistics hubs have put pressure on domestic fuel supplies. Several regions have begun implementing fuel rationing, and some gas stations have closed due to depleted stocks.

Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian military used long-range drones on Thursday to strike two Russian refineries located hundreds of miles from the border, as Kyiv continues to focus on Moscow's energy infrastructure. He said the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the Bashneft-Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan and the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl Oblast.

"This operation once again limits Russia's oil revenues, which Moscow relies on to fund the war and harm Ukrainian people," Zelenskyy wrote on social media. The Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl, located about 274 kilometers northeast of Moscow and hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border, is one of Russia's top refining facilities. It has been struck multiple times by Ukrainian forces since the conflict began.

According to official data, the plant employs over 3,500 people and has an annual crude oil processing capacity of approximately 15 million tons, producing automotive fuel, aviation kerosene, and various industrial oils. Yaroslavl Oblast Governor Mikhail Yevrayev said on Thursday that the region faced its largest-ever drone attack, with Russian air defense and electronic warfare systems intercepting and destroying 93 drones.

"Falling debris hit a storage tank at the refinery, and emergency responders are working to extinguish the fire," Yevrayev reported via Telegram. No fatalities were reported from the attack, but four people were injured.

Broader Context: 'Winter is Coming' 鈥?Ukraine Fears Its Toughest Test Since War Began

Russian missile strikes on Kyiv killed at least 17 people; Ukraine continues to target multiple Wildberries warehouses. Ukraine has found a new weak point in Russia's wartime economy. Beyond using medium- and long-range drones to consistently hit energy facilities, Ukraine has intensified strikes in recent weeks against Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries (often called the Russian Amazon). This aims to pressure Russia's consumer economy and create new pressure points for the Putin administration.

Meanwhile, Russian forces have increased the frequency of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Analysts suggest Moscow is seeking to exploit Ukraine's shortage of ballistic missile interceptors to launch offensives.