In brief
On 6 August 2026 Ukraine launched coordinated strikes on the Bashneft‑Novoil refinery in Bashkortostan and the Slavneft‑Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl region, which were reported to burn and erupt large smoke plumes. President Zelensky called the blows a decisive step to limit the war budget that Moscow draws from oil revenue. The Zonal governor noted 93 drones were downed overnight, while the Russian side announced a blackout in Kherson and casualties in Balakliya and Lozova. Both sides report increasing attacks on strategic energy assets amid a largely static front line.
Ukraine Strikes Two Russian Refineries, Hits Black‑Sea Fleet
Ukrainian forces reportedly hit the Bashneft‑Novoil refinery in Russia’s Bashkortostan republic and the Slavneft‑Yanos refinery in the Yaroslavl region on 6 August 2026. Both sites were set ablaze, sending massive plumes of smoke into the sky.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes were designed to harden Moscow’s war‑financing engines, “cut oil revenue that funds the conflict.” He added that patrol boats and other vessels in the Black Sea were also struck, affecting tankers allegedly used for sanctioned oil transport.
Yaroslavl regional governor Mikhail Evraev confirmed the refinery was on fire and that four people were injured. He reported 93 drones were shot down over the region during the night.
In the wider conflict, the Russians suffered 11 fatalities in Ukrainian attacks, while the southern city of Kherson endured a full blackout after a “critical infrastructure facility” was struck. The national internet monitoring group NetBlocks noted significant but not total connectivity loss.
Russia’s defence ministry said its forces intercepted or shot down 605 Ukrainian drones over several regions, targeting fuel, energy and transport sites as well as drone storage facilities.
The thrust into energy infrastructure comes amid a largely static front line, with both sides escalating strikes on strategic assets. The continued targeting of oil and fuel facilities exacerbates the economic strain on Russia, and the impulses for diplomatic solutions might grow as leaders confront the costs on both sides.
