In an unprecedented move, a drone attack was launched on an oil refinery in Russia's republic of Bashkortostan, located nearly 1,000 miles from the Ukrainian border.
This marks the farthest-reaching drone attack on a Russian target since the onset of the war.
The Ukrainian Security Service confirmed to a news outlet that it was responsible for the assault on Russia's Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery on Thursday morning. A video of the drone striking the plant in Russian Salavat, Bashkiria, was circulated on Russian Telegram channels. The individual filming the incident noted the considerable size of the drone, which appeared to have traveled approximately 1,500 km before reaching and striking its target.
This incident signifies the first drone strike on the republic amidst Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which commenced in February 2022. "According to the source of [the news outlet], it was a [Security Service] drone that established a record by traveling 1,500 kilometers (930 miles)," the publication reported.
Kyiv has escalated its attacks on Russian refineries this year, disrupting gasoline production in Russia. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna stated in March that Russian oil refineries were legitimate military targets for Ukraine in the war. The Kremlin, in response, has accused Ukraine of attempting to execute terrorist attacks using drones.
Vasyl Malyuk, the head of Ukraine's Security Service, announced in March that the government agency was behind all attacks on Russian oil hubs and vowed to continue these operations. The agency estimates that it has successfully executed at least 13 attacks on Russian oil refineries during the war thus far.
In the previous month, Ukraine's security service also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Russian oil refinery in the republic of Tatarstan, situated approximately 800 miles from the Ukrainian border.
Russia's Defense Ministry has been contacted for comment via email.
Radiy Khabirov, the head of Bashkortostan, confirmed on his Telegram channel on Thursday that the Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery was functioning as usual post-attack. "A drone attacked the industrial zone of Salavat city at around 13:00 today, after which there was smoke at one of the installations of Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat," Khabirov stated.
No casualties have been reported following the attack.
A source within Ukraine's Security Service told Ukrainian news outlet RBC that the agency has "once again proved that it has powerful technological solutions that help to inflict painful blows on the enemy." The source added, "This means that Russian refineries and oil depots working for the Russian military-industrial complex cannot feel safe even in the deep rear."
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