Ukrainian drones struck the Kirishi oil refinery in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region overnight, sparking a fire that regional authorities said was later extinguished and caused no injuries.
The facility, operated by Surgutneftegas and one of Russia’s three largest refineries, produces roughly 17.7 million metric tons of crude annually (about 355,000 barrels per day). Ukraine’s General Staff reported explosions and a fire at the Kirishi site and posted a photograph appearing to show a blaze and plumes of smoke against a night sky.
Leningrad regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said three drones were downed overnight in the Kirishi area and that falling debris ignited a fire at the refinery. He said no one was injured and that emergency crews had put out the blaze. Russian officials did not immediately provide additional details on the extent of any damage to the refinery or its impact on operations.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down at least 80 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory, occupied Crimea and the Sea of Azov. Kyiv has increasingly used drones as a key weapon since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion more than three years ago; Russia also deploys unmanned aerial vehicles in strikes inside Ukraine.
The Kirishi incident follows weeks of Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which Kyiv says are aimed at degrading supplies that help sustain Russia’s war effort. The attacks have coincided with a seasonal rise in domestic fuel demand in Russia and have been linked by officials and industry observers to recent gasoline shortages in parts of the country, with some gas stations running dry and regional authorities imposing rationing or cutting off sales.
In response to supply pressures, Russian authorities announced restrictions on gasoline exports. Officials on Wednesday declared a full ban on gasoline exports until Sept. 30 and a partial ban affecting traders and intermediaries until Oct. 31 as a temporary measure to bolster domestic availability.
The conflict’s risks of spillover were underscored this week when multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, prompting NATO to scramble fighter jets to intercept them. The incidents have heightened longstanding concerns among NATO members about the war extending beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Separately in the Leningrad region, authorities reported a diesel locomotive derailed overnight. Drozdenko said the train’s driver was trapped in the cabin and later died while being transported to a hospital; a regional investigation will examine whether sabotage was involved. In another incident, a bomb planted along railway tracks in Russia’s Oryol region killed three people, Gov. Andrey Klychkov said. He said the victims had been inspecting the track near the town of Maloarkhangelsk, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Ukrainian border, and identified one as a member of Russia’s National Guard.
Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the causes of the Oryol blast or on whether the Kirishi refinery fire had significantly affected production at one of the country’s major fuel hubs. Kyiv has framed its attacks on energy infrastructure as part of efforts to weaken Russia’s ability to wage war, while Moscow has portrayed incidents inside its territory as acts of terrorism or sabotage.
The latest strikes and transportation incidents come as both sides continue long-range attacks and defenses that increasingly rely on unmanned systems, complicating efforts to shield critical infrastructure and raising concerns among neighboring countries and international institutions about escalation and civilian impacts.