(KIRISHI, LENINGRAD OBLAST and YEISK, KRASNODAR KRAI) – Ukrainian forces struck two high value military and energy targets inside Russia overnight on 30th August 2026, triggering fires at an oil refinery near St Petersburg and causing prolonged secondary detonations at an airbase used to launch attack drones against Ukraine.
The Kirishi oil refinery in Leningrad Oblast was hit in the early hours. Local officials claimed that several drones were intercepted, but falling debris sparked fires on the refinery grounds and on a residential building. Emergency services stated that the fires were extinguished quickly and that no casualties were recorded at the site. The refinery is a key fuel supplier for the St Petersburg region.
The attack follows a pattern of recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil processing facilities, including the Yaroslavl refinery and a plant in Kstovo. Analysts note that such operations typically target primary oil processing units. Medium scale refineries often have two such units, and damage to one can disable a significant portion of the plant’s output. Strikes of this nature usually result in a short but intense burn of petroleum products.
The most significant target of the night, however, was the Yeisk airbase in Krasnodar Krai. Local residents reported that secondary detonations continued for over an hour after the initial strike. The airbase is officially classified as a training facility, but it serves as a launch site for Shahed attack drones used against Ukrainian cities. The installation houses drone storage warehouses, a final assembly and configuration workshop, a launch vehicle loading area, a control centre for drone operations, personnel accommodation and a training centre for drone operators.
Initial reports indicated that the first strikes landed away from aircraft parking areas, yet powerful explosions and fires were observed. Preliminary assessments suggest that drone storage and assembly infrastructure may have been damaged. The full extent of destruction remains unclear, though residents reported visible flames and audible detonations from a considerable distance. Further details are expected in the coming days.
The strikes prompted renewed anxiety among residents of Russian border regions. One woman from Belgorod described the strain of nightly explosions and air raid sirens, saying she had not yet grown accustomed to the attacks. Another resident of Saratov said she now prays every night and that the fear of being unable to hear an incoming strike while asleep was deeply distressing. She noted that acquaintances were leaving the country.
The Ukrainian military has not yet commented on the operation. Footage of the strikes was released by the relevant Ukrainian military units.
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